the first point We are risen vp together with him For to the intent he might shewe this Mat. 27. 52 when hée rose vp he had manie bodies of the saintes with him which appeared vnto others Further he rose not to himselfe but vnto others vnto vs I meane séeing hee is our head If he himself be risen the members also are raised vp with him Example of those that bee drowned in the waters Rom. 8. 32. To the Rom. Seeing he hath giuen his sonne howe shall hee not with him giue all thinges But and if he haue giuen all thinges hee hath also giuen resurrection Ephe. 2. 1. Vnto the Ephesians When ye were dead in your sinnes he quickened you together with him and not onelie quickened you but also made you to sit together on the right hand in the heauenlie places And in the same Epistle to the Ephesians Ephe. 1. 19. What is the exceeding greatnes of his power towards vs which beleue according to the working of his mightie power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the deade c. Furthermore he is risen vp vnto vs and sitteth at the right hande of the father and obtaineth for vs the spirite which was in him the beginning of the resurrection For vnto the Romanes it is saide If the spirite of him which raised vp Christ from the deade doe dwell in you Rom. 8. 11. hee will quicken also your mortall bodies because of the spirit that dwelleth in you Also vnto the Romanes the sixt Chapter Verse 11. Likewise thinke yee also that ye are deade to sinne but are aliue to God in Christ Iesus Weare all dead through Adam and doe presentlie taste of death Wherefore if we will not make Christ to bee worser than Adam let vs saie that he also gaue a newe life which we maie now presentlie tast Christ is the first fruits of them that rise againe as it is saide vnto the Corinthians 1. Co. 15. 20 First fruites doe not so goe before other fruites but that they be together with them indéede they be not ripe but yet they are nowe extant so likewise our resurrection although it be not ripe yet is it And as Christ by Baptisme hath drawen vs with him into his death and buriall so hath he drawen vs out vnto life This doeth the dipping into the water and the issuing foorth againe signifie when we are baptised It is saide vnto the Romanes Rom. 10. 9. But and if wee confesse the Lorde Iesus to haue risen from the dead wee shall be saued Wherefore the resurrection of Christ pertayneth to our resurrection For we cannot be saued vnlesse we be pertakers of the same Hee was deliuered to death for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification c. Rom. 4. 25. If ye bee risen together with Christ seeke ye those thinges which are aboue c. The minor proposition must bee added But ye are risen together with Christ Col. 3. 1. Iohn 3. 36. Rom. 8. 24. therefore ye ought to seeke those things that be aboue He that beleeueth in the sonne hath eternall life By hope wee are saued Howbeit we are yet still after a sort vnder death Neither doe we saie as doe the Libertines that the resurrection is alreadie past wee onelie affirme that it is begunne For God bringeth not by and by vnto the high and perfect degrée he first giueth certaine entrances and beginninges Before that Moses colde be declared captaine of the people of God if we shall giue credite to Iosephus he cast vppon the ground the diademe of Pharao and trode it vnder his féete he slewe an Egyptian and made peace betwéene the Israelites whereby is declared that hee was partaker of his vocation although it were not as yet fullie reuealed Also Dauid being a childe slew Lyons and Beares and being a young man killed Goliath 1. Sa. 17. 34 Ib. ver 49. whereby he beganne nowe to bée a partaker of the gouernment of the Israelites although he were not declared king So wee although we haue not as yet obteyned a perfect resurrection yet are we conuersant therein Now must we sée wherein this resurrection of ours standeth First in good woorkes which are nothing else but enterances and beginninges of eternall life They are degrées whereby God draweth vs vnto a perfect life They are no merites but pathes and imperfect beginninges Rom. 8. 12. We are debters not to liue after the fleshe but after the spirite for if according to the spirite yee mortifie the deedes of the fleshe yee shall liue Mortifie your members which bee vppon the earth Col. 3. 5. And those doeth Paul expresse to bee Fornication couetousnesse and Idolatrie c. And our olde man the more he is destroied the more hee is euerie daie renewed Also in the seconde Epistle to the Corinthians 2. Cor. 5. 15 He died for all men that hee which nowe liueth maie not liue to himselfe but vnto him which died for vs. Whereuppon Paul I liue yet not I nowe but Christ liueth in mee We must take héede that not onelie we testifie in woordes that Christ is risen againe but to shewe that hee is also risen againe in vs. Christ when he was risen againe entered into the glorie of the father that we in this resurrection begun might prooue our selues to be the children of God as we bée Wherefore it is saide vnto the Romanes Rom. 1. 4. Christ is defined or rather declared to bee the sonne of God by his rising againe from the dead All things are subdued vnto Christ so ought we to ouercome all thinges and to faint in nothing Let vs stande out in temptations and triumph ouer our tribulations Christ is aboue Col. 3. 1. and let our conuersation be in heauen Finallie let vs perseuere For in that Christ dyed Rom. 6. 10. he died once and death hath no more dominion ouer him c. An Oration or Sermon of D. P. Martyr out of the 1. Chapter of the Prophet Hagge THe most royall Temple dearelie beloued which was erected vnto God almightie at Ierusalem which in euerie mans mouth was called The house of God we reade was not for one cause alone either defiled or burned For by the armie of the Caldeās it was burned by the Macedonians it was defiled by an Image of Iupitur Olympus finallie the couetous nation of the Iewes abused the same for a Market to buy and sell in to satisfie their gréedinesse Howbeit God who suffereth not that which belongeth to him to be perpetuallie trodden vnder foote procured by Nehemias Esdras Zorobabel Ihesus the sonne of Iosadeck Hagge Zacharie and Malachie that his holie house which had long time lien ouerthrowen should be againe restored And he in like manner did so prosper the valiant indeuours of Iudas Machabaeus his warlike prowesse as the Temple which the wicked licentiousnesse of the Gretians did defile was againe cleansed by
instruction of Angels was not vsed or néedfull vnto diuine things as commonlie it had bin in the old Testament euen so in the euerlasting kingdome where we shall haue Christ reuealed and the father euidentlie knowne vnto vs certeinlie we shall enioie the fellowship of Angels but not vse the ministerie of them But as touching the substance and nature of Angels and of men we cannot certeinelie knowe in what degrée we and they shall be placed in the heauenlie habitation but yet if we respect nature we doubt not but that they are more excellent than we be But who can boldlie either affirme or denie whether the grace and spirit of God shall more abound in some certeine men than in them Neuerthelesse as concerning the place of S. Paule in the second chapter to the Ephesians Ephes 2 6. it sufficeth that his words be true namelie that we as we be and are conteined in our head may be said to sit at the right hand of the father aboue all creatures But afterwards if one would infer thereby that we shall doo the same as touching our owne proper nature or person that cannot be prooued by anie firme argument And Paule vseth things past for things to come to wit that we are alreadie taken vp and sit in heauenlie places and that not without reason that he might make the same more certeine euen as those things be which are past alreadie Or else if we haue respect to the will and decrée of God these things be alreadie done But in the epistle to Timothie the selfe-same things are assigned vnto the time to come when the Apostle saith If we be dead together with Christ 2. Tim. 2 1â— we shall liue together with him If we suffer with him we shall also reigne with him Yet neuerthelesse we must not accuse him of a lie in that he vseth those times that be past in stead of the times to come For whatsoeuer is come to passe in our head we confesse it to be done in vs in so much verelie as we are growne vp together with him Wherefore let none saie If Christ be risen from death if he be carried vp into heauen if he sit at the right hand of God what belongeth this vnto mée Yes doubtles verie much for whatsoeuer hath hapned vnto him thou maiest of good right estéeme that it hath happened to thy selfe Those shall not greatlie trouble vs which by thrones principalities powers and dominions will haue to be vnderstood such princes monarchs magistrates For Paule when he maketh mention of these speaketh manifestlie of Angels of spirits that be aboue whom in the second to the Ephesians Ephe. 2 2. Colo. 2 15. he calleth rulers or guiders of the world and to the Colossians he saith Christ hath spoiled principalities and powers hath led them as it were in open triumph In which place who séeth not that these words doo signifie vnto vs the spirits which be aduersaries vnto God In 1. Cor. 15 verse 14. 20 But whereas it is said in the first to the Corinthians the 15. chapter When he hath put downe all principalitie 1. Cor. 15 verse 14. Chrysost and rule and power these things aswell Chrysostome as diuers other interpretors refer vnto the diuell other wicked spirits being souldiers of his band which I mislike not Albeit if anie will vnderstand them as concerning magistrates and principalities of this world I will not be against it For kings and princes haue the sword to the intent that sinne may be kept in subiection and that innocent subiects may be defended from violence and iniuries which things shall take no place when things shall be set at peace and quietnes by Christ We might also vnder these names comprehend the good Angels which be assigned as ministers and helpers vnto vs while we be here in this miserable life as we read in the epistle to the Hebrues and as Daniel testifieth Heb. 1 14. Dan. 10 13. and 12. 1. Angels be gouernours of kingdoms and gardians of men Mat. 18 10. The cause of the motion of the planets they be set ouer kingdoms and they be the gardians of men séeing Christ said as touching the yoong children Their Angels doo alwaie behold the face of the Father But when the kingdome of Christ shall be fullie appeased then these ministeries shall be superfluous and therfore it is said that they shall be taken awaie Yea and the labours of the sunne moone stars and celestiall bodies shall not be néedfull for therefore are they mooued and kéepe their circuite in the world that they may driue awaie darkenes and cold and bicause that fruits also may be brought foorth for the defense of our infirmitie which béeing perfectlie healed these helps and supportations shall be at rest Wherefore we read in the Reuelation of Iohn that an Angel sware by him that liueth for euer Apoca. 1 5. that hereafter there should be no time anie more which cannot be taken awaie vnles the motions of the heauens be at rest And therefore it is said that all these things shall be abolished if not as touching their substance In what respecâ—s the celestiall bodies shal be abolished yet as touching their gifts and offices which they exercise towards men The same thing also may be said of ecclesiasticall dignities and functions which now indéed further vnto edification but when all things shall be perfect absolute in the elect they shall cease and haue an end Manie things hath Dionysius concerning the signification of the words Principalitie power and dominion but yet such as are spoken onlie of him for among the rest of the fathers there is verie little extant as touching these things and that for good cause for the holie scriptures teach not these things bicause they further not to our saluation Wherefore they A iudgment of bookes ascribed to Dionysius which be of the greatest iudgment in ascribing of bookes to the true authours of them doo not thinke that Dionysius which wrote of these things is that Areopagita the scholer of Paule but some later Dionysius Neither is it likelie to be true that that worke was in estimation long ago séeing that Gregorie except Gregorie who was a Latin man none of the ancient fathers cited those writings I haue heard sometimes diuers saie that these surnames of Angels were commonlie translated by a metaphor taken of the powers of this world and therfore they would that Paule when he happened to make mention of Angels remembred these names as if he should saie Whether they be principalities or dominions And they alleadge the place vnto the Ephesians where it is said Ephe. 1 21. that Christ is set aboue euerie name that is named whether it be in this life or in the life to come But I doo not much allow this iudgement bicause not onlie the Rabbins Orders of Angels Among the celestiall spirits there be orders and offices In Rom
of vnsensiblenes of gréefe so we also doo not admit the same Yea rather Christ next the prophets the saincts did wéepe and we are commanded to sorrowe with them that sorrowe Aristotle saith that his happie man will neuer commit vile and naughtie things This doo not we pronounce of ours for Dauid fell gréeuouslie and Peter gréeuouslie Those happie men of his cannot soone be repaired but we haue the most readie medicine of repentance and that alwaies at hand In like maner our happie man of those things which are ministred vnto him is able to doo most excellent things according to the state and condition which he hath obteined Wherefore that little mite which the widowe offered was so well pleasing so gratefull and acceptable to God as it excelled the oblations of the rich men Lastlie temporall chances and misfortunes whatsoeuer they be doo the more driue godlie men vnto God and doo drawe them from the world For our men can not be blessed vnlesse they be poore in spirit The xvj Chapter Of Prouidence vpon Genesis the 28. chapter verse 16. In Gen. 28 verse 16. THe Grecians call prouidence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Hebrues deriue it from the verbe Hisgiah in the coniugation Hiphil which is To see exactlie and to discerne A definition of prouidence As touching the definition thereof Cicero saith in his booke De inuentione that it is that whereby anie thing to come is forséene before it come to passe Howbeit this definition if it be referred vnto diuine prouidence dooth not expresse it bicause this dooth onlie shew the knowledge of that which is to come and the power of foreknowing But in diuine prouidence is not onelie comprehended the knowledge of the mind of God but also his will and election whereby things are decréed and determined to come to passe rather by one way than another Further there is also a power and ablenes therein to gouerne and direct those things which it is said to foresée for in things there is not onlie found the nature substance of them but also the order wherewith they be knit one with another And the one so reacheth to the other that it helpeth it or is made perfect by it both waies things be well ordeined particularlie as touching themselues each of them are said to be good and generallie as touching order excellent good And that this order is in all things we may prooue it by the nature of order it selfe That there is an order in things Order is defined for it is defined by Augustine to be the disposition of things like and vnlike attributing to euerie one that which belongeth vnto it But no man is ignorant that the parts of the world are diuers and not alike if they be compared one with another Moreouer how conuenientlie each one of them is allotted by God to his owne place proper seate and standing both experience teacheth and the holie scriptures testifie For it is said That God hath set the seas and the waters their bounds Iere 5 22. neither may they passe the limits appointed vnto them Esai 40 12. Further He measureth the aire with his span c. And séeing that so great a benefit of his ought to be ascribed vnto him in respect of his prouidence we may thus define it A true definition of prouidence that It is the meane which God vseth in directing of things to their proper ends In which definition is not onlie comprehended the knowledge but also the will and power of dooing it Wherevpon this that we auouch Paule in the first chapter to the Ephesians hath verie well expressed when he saith Ephes 1 11. Who worketh al things according to the counsell of his will And Cicero in his oration for Milo taught by what tokens this prouidence may be knowne from naturall reason for thus he writeth Neither doubtlesse can anie man iudge otherwise vnlesse it be such a one as thinketh that there is no heauenlie power nor diuine maiestie and whom neither the sunne neither the motions of the heauens and signes thereof neither yet the order and course of all things doo mooue and so foorth The verie selfe-same demonstration Paule describeth in the first chapter to the Romans Rom. 1 â—0 Iob. 12 7. And Iob in the twelfe chapter Aske the cattell and the foules of the aire the fishes of the sea and the plants of the earth and they shall informe thee Also in the 19. psalme The heauens declare the power of God Psal 29 1. Iob. chap. 39. 40. Againe Iob in the 39. and 40. chapters Concerning the goats the harts the horse the Leuiathan and Behemoth 2 Wherefore let it thus be determined Whether al things be ruled by the prouidence of God the order of things declare that these things which be created are not made by chance and at all aduentures wherefore God worketh according to his purpose and vnto his owne prouidence as vnto a certeine generall and chéefe art all things are subiect neither is there anie thing to be found that can escape the same Which neuertheles some are bould to denie who thinke that onelie the chéefe and principall things are committed to the care of God but the residue if they be of small account they attribute to naturall causes if they be of greater importance to angels diuels Which thing a man may sée in the dialog of Plato called Protagoras where the creation of things is so described that some things are granted to Epimetheus to make and some things to Prometheus Yet to the intent that mankind might be well prouided for this only is auouched that it was doone by the works of the gods But in the Gospell we be otherwise taught by Christ Mat. 10 19. All the heares of your head are numbred And Of two sparowes not one of them lighteth vpon the ground without the will of your heauenlie father Againe The Lord himselfe hath looked downe from heauen vpon the children of men But if these men would vnderstand the matter thus as though the prouidence of God extended not it selfe vnto all things after such a sort as it dooth vnto men Prouidence seemes of sundrie respects by reason of the diuers effâ—câ—s in things we would grant it not that the prouidence which is méerelie simple in it selfe should be said to be manifold but bicause the effects which be directed by it are diuers and sundrie therefore it selfe also séemeth to haue diuers respects Wherefore we grant that the prouidence ouer godlie men surmounteth so far as in comparison of them it is said by the Lord vnto them that shall be damned to the foolish virgins I knowe you not Matt. 25 12. and so is it ouer men more than ouer vnreasonable creatures And by a liuelie faith of this prouidence The vse of prouidence we reape manie commodities and especiallie a comfort in aduersitie
place saith Those things that séeme to be righteousnesse in vs are compared vnto the cloth of a polluted woman And this he speaketh verie well notwithstanding that he misse afterward in other matters Moreouer where it is said Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant Psal 143 2. according to thy righteousnesse Againe Forgiue vs our trespasses and such other like saiengs Matth. 6 12 I vnderstand to be spoken generallie and not particularlie of those things onelie which be manifest sinnes but euen of those actions which be honest and good in apperance For these if they be examined by the rule of the lawe will alwaies be found short of the same Wherefore Augustine in his tenth booke of confessions and 13. chapter Wo saith he be vnto mans life though it séeme laudable if it shuld be iudged when mercie were absent Also De spiritu litera the last chapter he wrote that Those things cannot be beloued of vs which we knowe not And againe that those things which we loue are loued by vs but yet according to a measure of knowledge So then it followeth that séeing the knowledge of GOD which we haue in this life is vnperfect he saith that our loue also towards him cannot be perfect Neuerthelesse when we shall behold him as he is in the euerlasting habitation there we shall perfectlie loue him And I praie you saith Augustine what shall we then doo more but loue him with all our hart and with all our soule But now séeing our knowledge is dull our loue also is the more vnperfect wherefore while we liue here we doo not loue God so much as the lawe requireth And they which haue profited in louing of God aboue others doo acknowledge how far they be from the waie of true loue Howbeit there is a certeine measure of the loue of God agréeable to this life the which consisteth in the not following of our lusts but that we should continuallie wrestle against them He addeth moreouer that it cannot be denied but that if God will he can bring this to passe and that he may giue such plentie of his grace spirit as all vice may be remooued But this he neuer did nor yet promised that he would doo it bicause if it be lawfull for him to giue this vnto the saints in the euerlasting habitation hée might also if it pleased him haue granted it in this life We must distinguish betweene power and will Matt. 26 53. And they séeme not to teach aright which in God denie his power to be distinguished from his will for Christ saith Could not I require my father and he would giue me more than twelue legions of angels 2 This reason of Augustine might in verie déed suffice but I haue yet more sure and more perfect confirmations For Paule in the seuenth chapter to the Romans Rom. 7 verse 7 c. dooth plainelie declare what was in himselfe as well touching the flesh as the spirit Albeit I knowe there be some A place of Paule expounded which iudge that the apostle spake not there of himselfe nor yet of them which be regenerate but that in his owne person he susteineth the spéeches of the vngodlie Of which mind Chrysostome was Also Augustine in his booke of 83. questions in the 66. question was of the same mind while he was yet somewhat yoong But in his sixt booke against Iulian the Pelagian the eleuenth chapter hauing weighed the thing better he affirmed that Paule spake of them which be regenerate And in his booke of retractations the 23. chapter he corrected his first opinion Ambrose in his booke De paradiso and also in his booke De sacramento as it is cited by Augustine referred those saiengs of Paule vnto the godlie and to them that be alreadie regenerate The which also Hilarius and Gregorius Nazianzen doo And vndoubtedlie the place being so vnderstood dooth bring great consolation vnto the godlie For although they belong to Christ yet they find themselues to be excéedinglie troubled with ill motions and affections with the which temptations they being exercised might easilie thinke that they perteine not to the elect For further proofe also the same apostle writeth vnto the Galathians Gal. 5 17. that The spirit fighteth against the flesh and the flesh against the spirit that ye cannot doo those things which ye would doo In which place without question he speaketh of the regenerate That those things also which in the place now alledged namelie verse 25. in the seuenth chapter to the Romans are to be referred vnto the godlie it is hereby prooued in that he saith his mind is delited in the lawe of God Which is not agréeable with them that be not regenerate who account not the lawe of God for anie pleasant thing vnto them wheras vnto the godlie it is more pleasant than honie and more déere than gold and pretious stones And he addeth these words namelie Of the inward man And no man is ignorant but that the inward man is attributed vnto the godlie so far foorth as they be regenerate But in them which be not regenerate there is no mention at all either of the new or inward man Besides Paule crieth out in that place O vnhappie man that I am Rom. 7 24. The which cannot be ascribed vnto them that be not borne anew for they doo not therefore thinke themselues vnhappie bicause they be drawne backe from the lawe of God He added also Who shall deliuer me Where the pronoune of the first person hath an effectuall emphasis and prooueth not a little that he writeth of his owne selfe And in the same chapter he saith To will is redie with me Ibidem 18. but I find no meanes to performe that which I would Here would I haue it answered how vnto those that are not regenerate a will to doo good can be present There is no doubt but that God dooth grant vnto the iustified to will well Afterward he saith I doo the euill which I hate and not the good which I would But to hate euill and to will good belongeth to none other but to the regenerate He addeth also Ibidem 2◠I serue the lawe of GOD in my mind Then must it néeds be that he speaketh of himselfe regenerate otherwise it had not béene lawfull for him to haue pronounced these things of himselfe In the end he saith Ibidem 23. that He was drawne captiue into the lawe of sinne when as the vngodlie and those that be strangers from Christ go willinglie and without resistance vnto euils from which they are not plucked awaie 3 But it séemeth to be a let vnto the exposition which we haue brought when he saith that He is carnall Ibidem 14 Vnto this we answer that although we be borne anew yet is there verie much of the flesh remaining in vs. Wherefore the same apostle saith vnto the Corinthians 1. Cor. 3 1 I could not speake
is applied vnto the thing signified In the desert God would haue this meat to be giuen vnto the Hebrues first to declare his power to wit that Man liueth not by bread onelie Deut. 8 3. but is nourished by euerie thing which God hath commanded man to eat Moreouer his mind was to win authoritie to Moses Aaron least that people should thinke themselues to be deceiued by them for they began alredie to suspect the same But meat being giuen in such sort it caused the promise and will of GOD to be beléeued Wherefore Moses and Aaron were no more suspected of falsehood Moreouer God shewed himselfe most readie of performing his couenant wherein he promised to be their God that is to helpe them so often as they should haue néed Lastlie he would teach all vs that beléeue in him that we shall not be forsaken of him when we followe our vocation By this means the promise of Christ is performed Matt. 6 33 First seeke ye the kingdome of God and these things shall be giuen vnto you They followed GOD when he called and he forsooke them not And so he will in like maner not forsake vs. Thou maist adde out of the saieng of Paule that God prouided not onelie that they should haue meat but also a sacrament Ambrose writing vpon this place saith that Manna had a figure of this mysterie which we receiue in remembrance of the Lord. Where he verie well admonisheth that as we now in the Eucharist beare in remembrance the Lords death that is past so in Manna and in other sacrifices of the old fathers the same death was shadowed to come Moreouer he writeth that this Manna was giuen on the Lords daie Which I knowe not how he can prooued 20 But when as Paule saith In 1. Cor. 10 6. and 11. These things were our figures or examples manie doo infer vpon these words that the sacraments of the old fathers were shadowes of our sacraments yet not all one with them Although forsooth it might not be that they were both figures of our sacraments and had also all one thing with them Assuredlie both the one and the other may be for there can be no other matter of the sacraments appointed than Christ himselfe whom Paule in expresse words affirmeth that the forefathers had But they might be called shadowes of our sacraments bicause they did not so manifestlie and cléerelie expresse the mysteries of mans saluation as ours doo Againe there is obiected against vs a place out of the epistle to the Colossians where after Paule had reckoned vp those things Col. 2 17. which perteined vnto the old testament he addeth Which are shadowes of things to come but the bodie is of Christ Herevnto I answer that the sacraments of the forefathers of right may be called shadowes and figures if thou respect those things which were performed at their time appointed I meane the death passion of Christ all which things were there represented to be exhibited Yet neuerthelesse they offered in the meane time vnto the fathers these things to be receiued by faith so far foorth as was sufficient for their saluation Thou maist adde moreouer that those sacraments were sometime to be abrogated also that ours shall not giue place vnto latter sacraments Further that the same which is abrogated and made void may haue the effect of a shadow which is past but those things that be firme and durable séeing they be sound are compared to the bodie Howbeit thou oughtest to vnderstand that the abrogating of the sacraments of the forefathers is onelie touching the signes Lastlie when thou shalt read among the fathers that the sacraments of the forefathers are so compared with ours that they are said to be deliuered out of Aegypt and we from our sinne that they obteined the land of Chanaan and we the kingdome of heauen they temporall kingdoms and we grace and the holie spirit and such like things thou must vnderstand that these men of God ment the things which the old Iewes had outward and visible and that our men doo compare them to spirituall heauenly gifts Not as though these things were not among the Iewes in times past but bicause in the old testament those spirituall gifts were folden vp in these externe and temporall things Neither yet doo they speake on this wise as though no temporall and visible things were extant among vs but bicause we haue those spirituall things more expressed and larger intreated of in the new testament the outward things doubtlesse as concerning the signes far fewer and as touching the promises verie much streictened Chrysostome in an Homilie which he wrote particularlie of these words of Paule Chrysostome which we haue now in hand compareth the old sacraments with the new by a certeine similitude after this maner A painter that is to expresse a king A similitude of a Painter with his horsemen and his enimies ouercome in triumph while the worke is yet rude or vnpolished he draweth his lines but slight and obscure The which neuerthelesse doo conteine the whole that was deuised to be doone and yet the same things so painted are not discerned but of them that be verie skilfull But afterward when he hath laid it ouer with flourishing and goodlie colours all things are manifest and are made euident and easie to be knowne of all them that haue accesse therevnto Wherefore he compareth the sacraments of the old fathers vnto the first portraiture and our sacraments vnto the latter so that as in each similitude one thing is conteined although there happen some difference as touching the apparant shew obscuritie euen so in each kind of sacraments there is an equalitie with some difference 21 But againe In Rom. 8 verse 15. bicause héere séemeth to be signified a difference of the old and new testament in these words For yee haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare but yee haue receiued the spirit of adoption whereby we crie Abba Father it shall not be amisse to sée with what spirit we are now led in the Gospell Vndoubtedlie Chrysostome vpon this place writeth diuerse things as touching that matter wherevnto I cannot assent For first hée dooth affirme that the Iewish people in olde time had not the holie Ghost But séeing hée saith that the apostle in this place maketh expresse mention of the spirit he saith that he dooth this bicause the lawe of the forefathers being giuen by the spirit of God was therefore called spirituall and forsomuch as those men were instructed by that lawe therefore mention is here made of the spirit And although in the tenth chapter of the first epistle to the Corinthians verse 3. those fathers are said to haue eaten one and the selfe-same spirituall meat and to haue droonke one and the selfe-same drinke of the spirituall rocke yet will not Chrysostome grant that they were partakers of the spirit but he saith that those things
were called spirituall bicause they were giuen neither by the strength of man nor of nature but by the power of God And it is to be wondred at that this father shuld déeme that the people of the old time were excluded from the spirit of God séeing we read in the 31. verse 3. chapter of Exodus that Bezeleel and Aholiba were replenished with the holie Ghost and also with wisedome and vnderstanding to make all such things as God had commanded to be made in the worke of the tabernacle And we read that the seuentie elders Num. 11 17. 24. which were giuen to be helpers vnto Moses were in such sort made partakers of his spirit that they also prophesied Iosua 34 9. Iud. 6 34. 1. Sam. 16 14. and that Iosua was indued with the holie Ghost and that Gedeon had giuen vnto him the same spirit and that the same holie spirit departed from Saule which might not haue béene vnlesse hée had had the same before And what meaneth this that Dauid saith in the psalme Take not away thy spirit from mee Psal 51 13. and 143 10. and 51 14. Againe Thy spirit shall lead me Againe Confirme me with a principall spirit Neither can we denie but that Elias and Elizaeus had the spirit of GOD 2. King 2 9. when the one desired to haue the spirit of the other giuen double vnto him We read also that Daniel had the spirit of the saints Dan. 4 9. But vnto these so manie oracles we will also adde a firme reason That the fathers were iustified we haue no doubt and they could not be iustified without faith in Christ but faith can neither be had nor reteined without the holie Ghost And whereas Chrysostome saith that the apostle maketh mention of the spirit bicause those men were gouerned by the lawe which was giuen by the spirit that is friuolous séeing the lawe cannot doo the office perteining thereto The lawe cannot doo hir office without helpe of the spirit to bring men vnto Christ which be now made affraid by the same vnlesse the power thereof be holpen by the spirit For how manie Epicures and godlesse men be there who hearing the lawe are neither brought vnto Christ nor yet appalled at the horriblenes of their sinnes committed 1. Cor. 10 3. A place vnto the Corinthians expounded 22 And that place in the tenth chapter of the first epistle to the Corinthians must not so be vnderstood as he thinketh séeing Paule saith that the sacraments of the old fathers were the selfe-same with ours For vnlesse it were so the reason of Paule as it hath béene said might easilie haue béene made féeble For the Corinthians might haue thought that the Iewes had béene afflicted with so manie punishments bicause they had no sacraments like vnto ours and contrariewise that they themselues although they sinned should not be chastised for that their sacraments were more perfect the which might be able to pacifie God although he were angrie and driue awaie all aduersities which hoong ouer their heads But séeing Paule saith that their sacraments were all one with ours this place of refuge is vtterlie taken from them And that Paule had respect vnto this we may therfore beléeue it vndoubtedlie bicause he maketh mention onelie of those sacraments of the old testament which answer vnto our two sacraments omitting all the rest which were innumerable For he affirmeth that they were baptised as we are baptised and saith moreouer that they receiued one and the selfe-same spirituall meate and drinke which we at this daie receiue to signifie thereby our Eucharist or supper of the Lord. If thou take awaie this cause thou shalt find no other cause whie he made onelie mention of these two sacraments Further what haue we in our sacraments which we receiue as the chiefe and principall thing Is it not Christ But the apostle testifieth that the old fathers receiued him in their sacraments Ibidem 4. For he saith that They dranke of the spirituall rocke which followed them and that rocke was Christ We cannot drinke Christ without his spirit But we can in no wise drinke Christ vnlesse togither therewith we be partakers of his spirit also Wherefore we ought not to thinke that the old fathers had not the spirit of GOD. But thou wilt saie peraduenture They had rewards and punishments As though we haue not so likewise For what Dooth not Paule gréeuouslie threaten the Corinthians if they followe the sinnes which their forefathers committed in the wildernesse Dooth not he saie 1. Co. 11 30. that Manie are weake and manie fallen asleepe for that they had after a shamefull maner abused the Eucharist And dooth not he saie When we are iudged we are corrected of the Lord Ibidem 32. least we should be condemned with this world And what Will you saie that in the new testament also there wanteth rewards promised vnto the godlie Matt. 10 41. For if we giue anie thing to a prophet in the name of a prophet we doo receiue a prophets reward And Matt. 19 29. He that forsaketh his owne for Christ his sake shall receiue an hundreth fold euen in this world also But Chrysostome addeth that vnto them was promised a land flowing with milke and honie but vnto vs is promised the kingdome of heauen I grant indéed that the old fathers had manie temporall promises but yet not in such sort as vnto them was made no promise of eternall life For Christ bringeth a testimonie of the resurrection out of the lawe Matt. 22 32 Exod. 3 6. I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob And God saith vnto Abraham I am thy protector and thy exceeding great reward Gene. 15 1. And Daniel saith that They shall rise againe Dani. 12 2. which haue slept in the dust of the earth some to eternall life and some to euerlasting damnation And Esaie saith of the damned Esai 66 24. Their fire shall not be quenched and their woorme shall not die And to omit all other testimonies which are infinite Christ himselfe is promised in the lawe For he himselfe saith Iohn 5 46. Rom. 10 4. that Moses wrote of him And Paule saith that he was the end of the lawe Besides there be manie such other testimonies both in the Gospels and in the epistles of Paule which are all taken out of the old testament 23 Chrysostome addeth moreouer The forefathers were bomb to more ceremonies than we be that the forefathers vsed outward purifiengs Neither doo we denie but that they were bound to a great manie more and more gréeuous ceremonies than we are and yet are not we altogither without outward signes For we also haue bread wine and water as elements of our sacraments but one and the selfe-same Christ was common both vnto our sacraments and vnto theirs Sith no man can denie but that circumcision was the sacrament
thought well of thâ—se things touching which he had erred in his booke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which if it be true then forsomuch as in these bookes he had a most wicked iudgement of the sonne of God it may easilie be prooued that these things could not be written by him in his Commentaries to the Romans But howsoeuer it be touching Origin Origins Commentaries vpon the Romans Cyprian for his Commentaries to the Romans are not extant in the Gréeke whereby we should iudge anie thing of them this is certeine that Cyprian a most ancient writer in his second booke against the Iewes the fift chapter vseth this testimonie to prooue the diuinitie of Christ albeit that when he citeth the words of Paule he leaueth out this word God And so we perceiue to be doone by Hilarie vpon the 122. psalme Hilarie But that may séeme to haue come through the negligence of the Registers as Erasmus himselfe confesseth Neither must we omit that that particle Ouer all may be adioined to that particle Blessed which followeth so that the sense is God that is to be praised aboue all ¶ Touching the vniting of substance of the two natures into one person of Christ looke the dialog of Peter Martyr himselfe set foorth particularlie concerning that matter 5 But in that sentence of Paule In 1. Cor. 15. vers 47. which is written in the first to the Corinthians the 15. chapter The first man is of the earth earthie the second man is the Lord himselfe from heauen That to this purpose the Antithesis might be perfect manie haue thought it should be vnderstood that euen as the first man had his bodie fashioned out of the earth so the second man namelie Christ brought his bodie out of heauen Hereof it commeth that Valentinus Martion Swenkfields heresie and among the latter heretikes Swenkfeldius and his fellowes agrée not that Christ tooke flesh of the virgine but thought that hée brought his bodie with him out of heauen But it is not necessarie that the comparison should be answerable in euerie point This rather is a certeine allusion of the apostle wherein is not weighed the substance of things compared but the qualities conditions and gifts of nature are compared togither Neither meaneth the apostle anie other thing but that Adam was the figure of this our life and that the latter Adam I meane Christ is the forme of the life to come which we expect Neither dooth hée here make mention of a bodie naie rather when he had said The first man of the earth earthie hée added And the second is the Lord from heauen It is not denied of the godlie that Christ is from heauen séeing they attribute vnto him the diuine nature but yet it commeth not to passe thereby that whatsoeuer the Lord who came downe from heauen had is either of heauenlie nature or else brought from heauen For if we list after that sort to reason of the first Adam we shall not say that he is vtterlie of the earth earthie séeing beside the bodie he had also a soule which is a diuine thing and was not taken out of the slime of the earth So as according to this reason we may saie that as Adam had not onelie a bodie fashioned out of the earth but also a heauenlie mind so Christ comprehendeth not onelie the diuine nature which was out of heauen The Lord came out of heauen although he had his bodie out of the earth Augustine but a naturall bodie which he tooke out of the earth in the virgins wombe And Augustine in the 13. chapter De ciuitate Dei feareth not howsoeuer to attribute vnto the man Christ a naturall bodie otherwise if we shall grant vnto Christ a bodie brought out of heauen he shall not be a man séeing heauenlie things are furthest of all differing from earthlie things But that Christ was verie man as well the scripture euerie where testifieth as also Paule in this place expresselie calleth him a man How Christ his bodie may be said to haue come out of heauen Luke 1 35. Albeit as touching the humanitie Christ may be said to haue come out of heauen séeing his bodie had no originall from the séed of man but from the holie Ghost as the angell promised vnto the virgine when he said The spirit of the highest shall ouershadow thee Moreouer he might be said to come from heauen in respect of affections and actions of his humane conuersation when as in maners and holinesse of life he altogither behaued himselfe heauenlie and diuinelie Furthermore the apostle speaketh of Christ hauing respect vnto the state of the resurrection wherevnto we also shall be brought And it is not to be doubted but that he challenged vnto himselfe the condition of resurrection not naturallie but by his diuine power 6 But now séeing the exposition of this place is manifest there resteth yet to reprooue them which haue otherwise iudged saieng that Christ tooke not his bodie of the virgine but brought the same foorth with him out of heauen The reasons of them which saie that Christ brought his bodie out of heauen and that he passed through the virgine Marie as through a conduit But speciallie let vs consider what reasons they rest vpon First they saie that If the bodie of Christ be not diuine and heauenlie but a creature taken of the virgins wombe when as Paule saith The first reason Ephes 3 17 that Christ dwelleth in our harts as we read vnto the Ephesians we shall haue no more but halfe of him For it shall be no otherwise than according to his diuine nature But we answer them that in what sort Christ dwelleth in our harts the same apostle dooth plainlie declare for he added By faith Which faith dooth not apprehend Christ in part but wholie as well in the sacrament of the Eucharist as also in the word of God which is set foorth vnto vs for our saluation And that this must be iudged after a spirituall sort it appéereth by comparing togither of other places In the eight chapter vnto the Romans it is said verse 11. If Christ doo dwell in you God which raised him from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodies for his spirit sake which dwelleth in you Here now we plainlie heare that Christ by his spirit dwelleth in vs. And in the third chapter of the first epistle to the Corinthians verse 16. we are by no other reason affirmed to be the temple of God but bicause the holie Ghost dwelleth in vs. Neither is there required vnto that coniunction which we haue with Christ that his bodie should in verie déed penetrate our breasts or our minds By faith and by the spirit Christ is all wholie apprehended of vs as well touching his diuine nature as touching his humane nature And when we affirme the diuine nature of Christ to be euerie-where we doo not so say of the humane It must not be
were annointed is deriued from the Hebrue word Ieschah And why he was so called the angel declared For saith he he shall saue his people from their sinnes This word Christ is a Gréeke word in Hebrue it is called Meschiah that is annointed In old time among the people of GOD kings prophets priests were annointed for verie hard conflicts rest vpon them which are appointed to these offices Wherefore vnder that token they be admonished that they should become like vnto wrestlers if they will doo according to their vocation And no man is ignorant but that the wrestlers were accustomed to annoint the parts of their bodie before they buckled togither Vnction interpreted to be an abundance of the spirit Or else which is a good deale the more likelie by vnction was signified abundance of the spirit with the which these thrée kind of men are indued sith prophets kings and priests in the administration of their functions haue néed of an abundant spirit And that the inspiration of the spirit is in the holie scriptures called vnction we haue no néed to doubt Esaie saith Esai 61 1. The spirit of the Lord vpon mee therefore hath he annointed me Luke 4 18 Which place Christ interpreteth to be written of himselfe so as it néedeth the lesse exposition of vs. And in the psalme by the testimonie of the epistle to the Hebrues Heb. 1 9. Psal 45 8. it is spoken as touching our sauiour Therefore hath God thy God annointed thee with oile of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes And in the Acts of the apostles the 10. chapter Acts. 10 38. Peter preached vnto Cornelius the Centurion of Iesus of Nazareth whom God annointed with spirit and with power And in the epistle of Iohn it is written 1. Iohn 2 20 verse 15. The vnction shall teach you in all things Also in the 105. psalme when there was mention made of Abraham Isaac Iacob c it is written Touch not mine annointed And he could not call them annointed so farre as can be gathered of the holie scripture by reason of anie externall and symbolicall vnction wherefore it is wholie to be referred vnto the instinct of the holie spirit Neither must it be passed ouer that our Lord Iesus Christ atteined to so abundant plentifull vnction of the spirit as the same by him floweth also vnto vs which beléeue in him according wherevnto it is written in the second epistle to the Corinthians the first chapter in these words verse 21. It is God surelie that confirmeth vs togither with you in Christ and hath annointed vs who also hath sealed vs and hath giuen the earnest of the spirit in our hearts Whereby it cōmeth to passe that so manie as truelie beléeue are not vnfitlie called both Christs christians 12 But this we must note that those ceremonies of the lawe did vanish by the comming of Christ In 1. Sam. 10. at the beginning Wherefore the papists and some of the fathers also were lead with a certeine false affectation in that they obtruded to vs their annointing Of annointing Looke In 1. King 1 34 c. They would haue that oile of theirs to be set foorth so curiouslie with such pompe and solemnitie as no other sacrament is so highlie commended vnto vs by Christ This is the disposition of men that they alwaies make more account of their owne inuentions than of the commandements of GOD. But these men in their oile doo dreame I cannot tell what more than a marke that cannot be blotted out And yet what the same is they vnderstand not neither being asked be able to teach others what it meaneth But all these things Christ by his comming did abrogate wherefore there is now no néed of oile It is sufficient if ministers be lawfullie chosen that they may with some authoritie teach the people Neither is it now néed for kings and princes to be annointed Looke part 4. pla 1. art 21. But if so be there be anie that at this daie be annointed the whole consideration thereof in my iudgement belongeth to ciuill ordinance not to religion Albeit therein also séemeth to be some false affectation of the Iewes for now we be all annointed and christians and it is sufficient to haue the thing it selfe There is no néed of a signe after that we haue dedicated our name vnto Christ And we are said to be annointed not bicause we be stroked with oile but in respect that we haue atteined vnto that which the oile in old time signified Oftentimes the thing it selfe is put for the signe and the signe also for the thing Christ was neuer annointed with oile Christ was not annointed with oile Esaie 61 1. Psal 105 15 so far as we read and yet Esaie thus writeth of him The holie spirit be vpon me bicause he hath annointed me And in the 105. psalme Dauid saith of Abraham Isaac and Iacob When they were but a few in number and God had led them about defended them and punished kings for their sakes Touch not saith he mine annointed We read not that Abraham Isaac and Iacob were annointed with oile yet bicause they were consecrated for to instruct the people of God they be called Christs and annointed The thing it selfe is vsed for the signe 13 Christ also is called Lord. In Ro. 1. 7. Whie Christ is called Lord. Looke In .1 Cor. 8 6. Which name dooth fitlie agrée with him for all things are giuen vnto him by the father and he hath paied the price for our saluation wherefore he is iustlie called Lord. And we may gather that héereby he obteined this name bicause the Hebrues neuer pronounce the holie name Tetragrammaton written of foure letters which is Iehouah but pronounced by other words that is Elohim and Adonai which signifieth might or dominion Which thing séemed to be the cause that the 70 interpretors when they read this name Tetragrammaton translated it by this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is Lord. As it appeareth in manie places of the which we will alledge one Psal 110 5. The Lord said vnto my Lord where in the first place is written Iehouah which they translated Lord. So as when Christ is called Lord it is as much as if he had béene called God Although Tertullian against Praxea saith that Christ is called Lord when he is ioined with the father for then the father is called God But and if the sonne being ioined with him should also be called God the Ethniks might thinke that we grant more gods than one Wherefore to withstand their suspicion we make this word Lord an epitheton of the sonne But if we name Iesus Christ by himselfe and alone he is plainlie called God as it appéereth in manie places of the scriptures And he vseth a certeine similitude A similitude As a beame of the sunne when we make mention of it by it selfe we call it the sunne and we saie that
sinnes as saith Dauid be not imputed vnto him Psal 32 2. which shall come vnto felicitie Wherefore séeing we haue néed of mercie it is manifest that our good works are not sufficient Augustine The same Augustine writeth in another place that the perfection of the saints herein consisteth to acknowledge how much they want still of perfection And that sentence of Paule 2. Tim. 4 7. I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course I haue kept the faith he so expoundeth as he thinketh that the apostle saith not that he is vtterlie without sinne but that he leaning vnto faith and vnto hope did wholie appoint with himselfe that it should come to passe in the last houre of his death which was then euen at hand that whatsoeuer sinne and wickednes had crept into him the same should by the mercie of God through Christ be wholie forgiuen him euen as he had forgiuen vnto others their offenses And it is so far off Augustine thought not that Paule was without sinne but affirms the contrarie Phil. 3 8. that Augustine thought Paule to be without sinne that he interpreteth this place vnto the Philippians Yea also I thinke all things to be but losse for the excellent knowledge sake of Iesus Christ my Lord for whom I haue counted all things losse and iudge them to be doong of works doone after he came to christianitie For when as before hauing made mention of works doone when he was yet of the Iewish religion he said But the things that were vantage Ibidem 7. the same I counted losse for Christ his sake those words which are afterward added he addeth by the waie of correction shewing that not onelie works of Iewish religion but also all other were to be counted for losses and things vncleane For he considered that in all things there is found some fault and defect And that sinnes are mingled with our good works the scriptures most manifestlie teach Sinnes are mingled with our good works when they saie that No man can be iustified in the sight of God And the godlie doo make their praier to be deliuered from that streight examination of iustice Psa 143 2. Enter not saie they into iudgment with thy seruant ô Lord. And Iohn saith If a man saie he hath no sinne 1. Ioh. 1 8. he deceiueth himselfe and the truth is not in him And Salomon saith in the booke of Kings 3. Kin. 8 46. There is not a man on earth so iust that he sinneth not Which words Augustine diligentlie weighing applieth them to the forme of the present time least anie man should refer that sentence of Salomon vnto those things which we haue committed before regeneration We ought all to praie that our trespasses may be forgiuen vs Matt. 6 12. as they that in this life may rather thirst after righteousnes than can atteine to a perfect and absolute righteousnes For that precept of the Lord Deut. 6 5. where in we are commanded to loue God with all our hart with all our soule and with all our strength shall then at the last be performed when we shall come to that place where we shall sée God face to face as he is Augustine as Augustine writeth in his booke De spiritu litera towards the end In which place also he demandeth why this commandement was giuen if it cannot be performed in this life He answereth that therefore God commanded it bicause we should knowe what by faith we ought to desire wherevnto our hope should be leuelled and what we ought continuallie to go about in all our actions And he thinketh him to haue much profited in this life which can at the length sée how farre he is off from that which is perfect 19 The same Augustine in his second booke De peccatorum meritis remissione Augustine chapters 16. 17. and 18. writing manie things as touching this matter saith that In the scripture men are somtimes called perfect Why the saints are called perfect notwithstanding the breach of the commandements God requireth of men that they should be vtterlie without sin Whie God gaue a lawe which he knew could not be obserued not bicause they are vtterlie without sinne but for that in innocencie of life they haue much profited and bicause they continuallie bend their study and indeuour to obteine perfection also bicause God forgiueth them their faults and that which they want of righteousnes he imputeth vnto them of the fulnesse of Christs righteousnes Neither denieth he but that God requireth of men that they should vtterlie be without sinne for there could be no sinne vnlesse there were a lawe which when we sinne we transgresse Further he demandeth whie God gaue that lawe which he right well sawe could by no meanes be perfourmed And he answereth that it was therefore doone that he might condemne them according to their deserts which contemned the same by contempt did transgresse it but that he might heare the praiers of them which applied themselues to it and more and more to helpe them dailie to accomplish the same And to this purpose he bringeth that sentence Pro. 3 12. which is written namelie that God correcteth and chastiseth those whom he loueth yet not with furie or reuenge but with a fatherlie correction but no man that is chastised or afflicted is without sinne No man chastised is without sin for this thing onelie suffered our sauiour namelie to suffer most gréeuous punishments without anie fault of his Wherefore séeing all men whom God loueth are corrected with aduersities it followeth of necessitie that they are all subiect to sin Which thing Paule vnto the Galathians most assuredlie affirmeth of the godlie Gala. 5 17. for he saith that in them the flesh so repugneth against the spirit that they cannot doo those things which they would And in the 7. chapter to the Romans he writeth verse 15. that He himselfe did the euill which he hated By all these things may easilie be gathered They that be the holiest are not without sin but haue need of forgiuenesse that a man though he be neuer so holie yet so long as he here liueth hath alwaies somwhat in him that hath néed to be forgiuen of God Which thing also Augustine testifieth towards the end of his booke De spiritu litera And hereby is most euidentlie gathered that our good works are not sufficient vnto eternall life But our aduersaries crake and boast that the regenerate are not vile in the sight of God but we saie that we before God are miserable for vnlesse it were so God could not vse mercie towards vs. Which mercie yet Augustine writeth If we were not miserable God should not need to vse mercie What mercie is that we haue altogither néed of if we desire to be crowned for mercie is an affection whereby we are mooued toward the miserable wherefore if eternall
fearing God Iustlie therefore securitie hath impietie ioined therewith which as it springeth of an euill beginning so also it bringeth foorth euill and naughtie fruits as sluggishnes vnlustines of mind and slothfulnes Wherefore they which trust vnto themselues neither séeke for helpe at the hand of God neither yet for the aid of men 15 The people of Lais which are spoken of in the 18. of Iudges liued securelie although they were ioined in no league or fellowship with their next neighbours What is negligence They were also infected with negligence which is nothing else but a priuation of that indeuour which we ought to applie for the gouerning of things by it the will is weakened and the chéerfulnes of the bodie is diminished This kind of securitie hath euermore a danger ioined with it for those things are not chased awaie which may be hurtfull For how should that be doone when as they be secure or carelesse thinking rightlie neither of their owne ablenes nor yet of the mercie of God Yea they are vtterlie vnknowne vnto themselues for if they knew themselues they would not liue so securelie Augustine Augustine vpon the 99. psalme writeth Whereas most securitie is there is most danger And he addeth that a ship A similitude when it is brought into the hauen thinkest thou that it is in safetie But by the same waie that the ship entereth in the wind entereth also oftentimes tosseth it and breaketh it vpon a rocke Where then can there be securitie Adam fell in paradise Iudas in the fellowship of Christ C ham in the familie of Noe manie in the lawe and manie also in the Gospell where then shall wée liue securelie Vndoubtedlie no where Wherefore Ecclesiasticus dooth verie well admonish vs Sonne stand in the feare of the Lord Eccles 2 1. and prepare thy selfe to temptation The Israelits sawe the Aegyptians drowned in the red sea Exod. 14 31 was it then méet for them to liue in securitie No verelie yea within a while after they were tempted in the wildernesse Christ was baptised by Iohn Matth. 3 16 Matth. 4 1. was he therefore made secure No for he was straitwaie tempted of the diuell Wherefore we ought then to be most carefull of all when we are receiued into the fauour of God for then the diuell dooth most of all watch for our destruction and indeuoureth to make vs fall and therefore there is no place for securitie 16 But are we so made by God that we can be no where secure Not so vndoubtedlie for there is another good and laudable securitie What securitie is good and laudable which as Augustine saith consisteth in the promises of God and is taken hold of by faith This ingendereth not luskishnes or sluggishnes but chéerfulnes and diligence Of this Dauid hath verie well pronounced in the 91. psalme He which dwelleth in the helpe of the most high verse 1. shall abide vnder the protection of the God of heauen Whereas it is written in the Latine Adiutorio that is In the helpe the Hebrue word signifieth A couer or secret place which no man taketh hold of but he which hath faith in the promises of God By that buckler we be defended with that shadowe we be couered against all harme Securitie of faith is good This is the securitie of faith and of the spirit which cleaueth vnto the word of God and therefore it must néeds be commended But the other securitie is of the flesh Securitie of the flesh is ill and therefore it is execrable and detestable Against it are extant most manifest commandements of Christ namelie To praie alwaies to knocke to seeke Mat. 7 7. 25 13. 23 4. and to watch for the daie of the Lord will come like a theefe If the good-man of the house knew what time the theefe would come he would vndoubtedlie watch neither would he suffer his house to be broken through 26 41. We ought to praie and watch bicause although the spirit be readie yet is the flesh weake Paule admonisheth vs To put on the armour of God that we may resist in the euill day Ephes 6 13. Stand saith he with your loines girded with the girdle of truth being clothed with the brestplate of righteousnesse and hauing shooes on your feet that ye may be readie to the Gospell of peace aboue all things taking vnto you the shield of faith wherby ye may quench all the fierie darts of that euill one and take vnto you the helmet of saluation and the sword of the spirit which is the word of God So dooth Peter also warne vs against securitie verse 8. in his first epistle the fift chapter The diuell saith he your enimie goeth about like a roring lion seeking whom he may deuour resist him with a sound faith But bicause I haue said that securitie is contrarie to feare I would not haue anie man to thinke that all feare is to be praised for there is also an euill feare An euill feare and wherof it springeth and that springeth of an euill iudgment of good and euill things as if a man shuld thinke that the aduersities of this world and the crosses which the elect suffer are both altogither euill and vtterlie to be feared Against these things we must sing togither with Dauid I will not feare what man can doo to me Psal 56 5. There is also another feare of the vngodlie to be reprooued which feare is ingendred by an euill conscience for they which liue shamefullie and wickedlie are alwaies afraid that the vengeance from heauen hangeth ouer them How feare comming of an euill conscience is called by Plutarch A similitude Such feare Plutarch in his booke of felicitie calleth sores of the mind There are saith he sores as well in the mind as in the bodie And he addeth an excellent similitude As they which in a feuer either cold or hot bicause inwardlie they be either cold or hot are more gréeuouslie sicke than if either the heate or cold were applied outwardlie to their bodies so they which are vexed in the mind are much more tormented than they which are afflicted in the bodie After the same maner we may saie that they alwaies tremble and are afraid whose consciences are troubled Wherefore Dauid said They haue trembled through feare Psâ—l 53 6. whereas no feare was so Cain and so Iudas also were woonderfullie afraid Gen. 4 14. Matt. 26 5. Seneca Seneca vnto Lucillus in his hundred 6. epistle saith that No place will make a wicked man quiet for thus he alwaies thinketh Although I be not as yet taken I may neuerthelesse be taken at the length and that I haue not hitherto béene taken it came rather of fortune than of confidence They also doo feare excéedinglie which are themselues fearefull and horrible vnto others for he must néeds be afraid of manie whom manie doo feare Remedies
to haue a regard vnto him and onlie to séeke his glorie And they that are led by his spirit followe not the affections and prouocations of lusts Hereby it is manifest in what sort faithfull and godlie men are in Christ It is prooued that the faithfull are in Christ by all kinds of causes and that by all the kinds of causes For Christ and we haue all one matter also we haue the selfe-same first entrances of forme for wée be indued with the self-same notes properties and conditions which he had The efficient cause whereby we are mooued to worke is the same spirit whereby he was mooued Lastlie the end is all one namelie that the glorie of God may be aduanced 36 Furthermore In 1. Cor. 12 12. euerie assemblie and congregation of men which tendeth to a definite and certaine end and is gouerned by prescript lawes may be called a bodie What societies are said to be one bodie Wherefore a citie a common-weale a kingdome are called certaine bodies bicause they haue a certaine end to wit that men may both be in good state as touching the bodie and may liue according to vertue But the bodie of Christ A declaration what the bodie of Christ hath respect vnto which is the church hath not onlie respect vnto this but vnto eternall life also and it hath all these things in common namelie God Christ the holy Ghost the word of God grace the sacraments and it hath respect vnto the things of this world which pertaine to mutuall helping one of an other And this bodie is gouerned by the ordinances and saiengs of the holy scriptures and it liueth by the spirit of Christ Of this bodie we haue an article of the faith Two maners of coniunction of the members of this bodie And of this thing we haue an excellent article of our faith wherein we confesse the catholike church to be the communion of Saints But in the members of this bodie there is obserued two sorts of coniunction one is that which they ought to retaine among them selues and the other that which they ought to haue with Christ Touching this thing we are verie well instructed in the fourth chapter to the Ephesians verse 16. where it is written that By the head Christ is ministred life and spirit by the ioints and knitting togither of the members into the whole bodie that according to the measure of euerie part there may be an increase in the bodie The same is also shewed in the second chapter to the Colossians verse 19. The wicked are not verelie of the bodie of Christ which is the church By which words it appéereth that wicked men are not verelie of the church séeing the spirit is not instilled into them by Christ the head Indéed they may be conuersant in the church but they cannot be of the church It is a méere imagination brought by our aduersaries that there can be withered and dead members in the bodie of Christ the which may be reuiued againe A dead part of a body is no more called a member of the bodie 1. Cor. 6 15. A member that is dead is a member no more neither yet ought to be called a member vnlesse thou wilt haue it all one that to be a man which is but the signe of a man And Paule said in the epistle vnto the Corinthians Shall I take the member of Christ and make of it the member of an harlot As if he had said These things are repugnant one with another that we should be the members of each of them A most neere coniunction betweene Christ vs. Wherefore this similitude declareth what maner of coniunction ought to be amongst vs and with Christ And certeinelie euen as we haue said we be so ioined with Christ as we be called flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones bicause through his incarnation we are made of the same nature and kind that he is of and afterward his grace and spirit comming to vs we are made partakers of his spirituall conditions and properties Cyrill as it hath béene aboue declared Wherefore Cyrill writing vnto Reginas of the right faith said that Our flesh is togither in one substance with the flesh of Christ and those that otherwise would iudge he held them accursed 37 And for the proouing of so great a coniunction betwéene vs Christ there is no néed of the corporall and substantiall presence of the bodie of Christ as manie indeuour to prooue in the Eucharist For we should haue neuer a whit the more profit or cōmoditie by the same than if we confesse Christ to be in heauen as touching his bodie A similitude For we sée that christians may be members one of another and that most néerelie knit togither although some of them liue in England some in France and some in Spaine But if so be this be granted as touching the members themselues whie shall it be an absurd thing to grant the same touching the head that by this spirituall coniunction it may both be in heauen and also be ioined spirituallie with vs A similitude The verie which thing we sée come to passe in matrimonie wherin the holie scripture declareth Matt. 19. 6. that Man and wife are one flesh which thing our aduersaries are constrained to grant no lesse to be true when man and wife are somtimes in sundrie places distant one from another than when they dwell in one house togither If so be then it be so in them To this coniunction betweene Christ and vs there is no need of his corporall presence whie should we denie that the bodie of Christ may be ioined vnto vs in such sort as we may be one with him although by substantiall and corporall presence in the Eucharist he be absent from vs They are euer flieng vnto that sentence of the Lord This is my bodie as though it may not otherwise be vnderstood but that there must be affirmed a naturall presence when neuertheles we will confesse it to be the bodie of Christ into the which we neither be transubstantiated neither is it required that any of vs in corporall presence should be ioined with other as concerning place But of these things we will speake verie largelie else-where Touching the adoption of the children of God out of the eight chapter to the Romans verse 15. 38 This place séemeth to require that we speake somewhat also of the adoption of the children of God The lawyers as it is in the institutions define adoption to be a lawfull act which dooth imitate nature A definition of adoption How arrogation differeth from adoption found out for the comfort of them which haue no children Further they make a distinction betwéene adoption and arrogation for they saie that it is arrogation when he that is his owne man and at libertie is receiued into the sted of a sonne but adoption is when he that
else ye doo doo it vnto Gods glorie So maie we saie of sléepe for we obeie the Lord who hath so ordered our nature If we obserue this we sinne not Brieflie all the works of godlie men are repentance for they alwais depart from euill bicause their works be certeine renewings and new obediences of God to be dutifull vnto him and if they be not yet they ought to be And for this conuersion the godlie doo alwaies praie Ps 119 176. Mat. 6 12. I haue gone astraie like a sheepe that is lost ô seeke thy seruant Forgiue vs our trespasses Be mercifull vnto me a sinner and such like These be the vowes of godlie men in all their actions I meane as touching continuall renouation Wherefore let vs leaue that idle vertue vnto Philosophers and Sophisticall diuines but we knowe that it is commanded vs to repent 18 Now let vs go forward and consider of the parts of repentance Of the parts of repentance Those men haue made their parts of repentance to be contrition confession and satisfaction but how well and trulie we will afterward sée and therewithall will shew the true parts of repentance Some haue named two namelie contrition and faith By contrition they saie we sorrowe for the multitude of sinnes that be past therein we are after a sort astonished and sore afraid But by faith we imbrace the comfort of remission of sinnes and they saie that they doo this for instructing sake Whether faith be a part of repentance Others denie that faith is a part of repentance but they which affirme it to be a part alledge this cause speciallie bicause in repentance there is most doone as touching the forgiuenesse of sinnes and that standeth most of all by faith Wherefore if we shall not alwaies applie faith repentance can not stand Others saie that this is no good argument namelie Repentance without faith is vnprofitable Therfore faith is a part of repentance For then should it be a part of the supper of the Lord and of baptisme This will no man saie why then is it rather made a part of repentance Further they saie that the holie scriptures when they make mention of repentance and of faith doo speake as of two distinct things Christ saith Repent ye and beleeue the Gospell Paule in the 20. of the Acts Matt. 4 17. verse 21. said that he preached repentance vnto the Ephesians and faith in Christ Iesus These two he set downe as distinct and seuerall things I my selfe vpon the consideration of each part Faith is no part of repentance but is ioined thereto would saie that faith is no part of repentance but is ioined thereto We sée in a man that the soule and the bodie are ioined togither yet the bodie is no part of the soule nor yet contrariwise the soule a part of the bodie in like maner must we saie of faith and of repentance The same thing doo we sée in the sinne therein is a figure of a bodie round A similitude and like vnto a globe and also light and shining and yet being ioined togither as they be neither is the figure a part of the light neither the light a part of the figure euen so faith and repentance are ioined togither in them that be godlie and yet is not the one a part of the other Faith hope and charitie be thrée vertues alwaies ioined togither and yet is not one of these vertues a part of the other How faith is ioined with repentance but they are seuerall How then shall faith be ioined with repentance It is as it were a beginning thereof as I haue said and it is méet for the same to giue light vnto the mind of him that is penitent And when the mind hath imbrased the goodnes of God and the remission of sinnes through Christ then followeth a renewing so as we lay aside our old life and take a new Wherefore faith is not a part but a certeine entrance into repentance and repentance is a consequent ioined vnto it as an effect 19 In my iudgement The true parts of repentance there shall be two parts of repentance the one a going backe from euill and the other an accesse vnto good And this is rightlie said for séeing repentance is assigned to be a changing and that all changing consisteth of two ends or limits namelie from whom and to whom it followeth also that repentance hath these ends perteining vnto it And certeinlie this is the rule of contraries that when the one is remooued the other followeth let naughtines be remooued holines must néeds followe And the holie scriptures reckon in this order verse 16. Esaie saith in the first chapter Be ye washed be ye cleane put awaie the euill of your hands from out of my sight cease from dooing wickedlie learne to doo well And in the psalme Depart from euill and doo good Psal 34 15. The apostle Paule giueth a testimonie of those parts and he would haue vs euermore to cast awaie the old man and to put on the new Ephe. 4 23. Be ye renewed saith he in the spirit of your mind and put on the new man which is made according to God in righteousnesse and holinesse of truth saith Paule vnto the Ephesians the fourth chapter Wherefore faith is alwaies ioined with repentance otherwise repentance should be vnprofitable 20 Now let vs examine those thrée papisticall parts contrition confession Of contrition and satisfaction As touching contrition it is woont so to be handled by the Schoole-men as they saie that it is a sorrowe receiued in the will by reason of sinnes And in verie déed whosoeuer shall diligentlie consider of this part shall perceiue the verie same to be whole repentance whose beginning is faith But these men doo hold far otherwise they séeme to haue taken the name out of the holie scriptures In the 51. psalme it is read Psal 51 19. A sacrifice to God is a troubled spirit a contrite hart In the 147. psalme verse 3. Who healeth them that be broken in hart and bindeth vp their contritions Esaie in the 66. chapter saith Esai 66 2. that God will haue respect vnto them that be of an humble and contrite spirit They acknowlege it to be a metaphor and they saie that the man which is a stranger from God is as it were stiffe and obstinate in his purpose for obteining of saluation they saie that it behooueth him that his hart after a sort should be broken and that he should vse this contrition Howbeit bicause they make it a part of a sacrament they adde that therein must be the purpose both of confessing and satisfieng how trulie it shall afterward be declared The difference betweene contrition and attrition Here they abiding in the same metaphor haue put a difference betwéene attrition and contrition for some hard things are so broken as they be sundred into small péeces and some so
handled as they be wrought into dust The more perfect of these they haue called contrition and the other attrition Augustine vpon the 146. psalme toucheth this matter He saith he is said to be contrite that punisheth himselfe for his offense committed and executeth a most seuere iudgement against himselfe And he declareth in what thing this contrition consisteth When we perceiue saith he that the lawe in our members striueth against the lawe of God and leadeth vs captiue into the lawe of sinnes whether we assent therevnto or make much of it we must crie with the apostle O vnhappie man that I am Rom. 7 24. Who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death c. He that crieth on this wise doth after a sort breake or consume himselfe And he taketh a similitude of Physicians vnto whome if ye bring the parts of a mans bodie which stand awrie and are out of course they to mend them doo breake them they as it were put them out of ioint againe and make a new wound to the intent that those disordered members may be corrected and healed We are saith he of a corrupt hart we be of a crooked hart we in a maner can allow of nothing that GOD alloweth of his commandements please vs not we complaine of him wherefore there is no other remedie but that these wicked harts must be rent in sunder And nothing else dooth your knocking of brests signifie not that your bones haue offended but you your selues God bindeth vp your contritions Séeing men are on this sort it behooueth them to bend their eies vnto the word of God and vnto the promises which are tied vnto the sacraments and then there returneth a perfect health Thus farre Augustine All these saiengs of his are verie well spoken But the Schoole-men turne things vpside downe The opinion of the schoole-men touching contrition Some of them saie that contrition is an act of charitie whereby we detest sinnes bicause of God But they might rather haue said that it is a motion of our mind through faith whereby we desire righteousnesse and detest sinnes But they would attribute all wholie vnto charitie as though we should be iustified by our owne works or merits for they would that there should be a certeine deseruing and disposition vnto iustification or forgiuenesse of sinnes as though men by these things maie deserue iustification and forgiuenesse of their sinnes And they so distinguish this contrition from iustification in so much that Caietanus the Cardinall said Albeit that this contrition shal be sufficient and that the speciall helpe of God be present yet the forgiuenesse of sinnes is not foorthwith granted God expecteth such a time as he thinketh good And while he affirmeth these things he taketh awaie all certeintie of saluation and iustification for admit one be as contrite as he can yet is there no iustification and forgiuenesse of sinnes The holie scriptures teach vs otherwise Ezechiel saith Ezec. 18 33. In what houre so euer a sinner shal be sorowfull I will not remember his wickednesse anie more Howbeit this must be vnderstood of contrition apprehended by faith for otherwise that sorrowing furthereth nothing at all vnto faith 21 They saie They make attrition to be a sorrow for the punishment onelie that if a man be verie sorrowfull for his sinne but yet onelie bicause of the punishment which he feareth to suffer this man is not contrite but attrite This would I call neither contrition nor yet attrition but sinne bicause it commeth not of faith for if it were of faith it should be directed vnto God Rom. 14 23. For what soeuer is not of faith is sin What séeke these men by their dispotisions for so they call them but to decrée that a man by his owne méere naturall power and strength is able to doo some thing whereby he may prouoke God to iustifie him This is most contrarie vnto truth for men as their strength and power is blinded can doo nothing but that which prouoketh God to harden and condemne vs. But thou wilt saie By this meanes we shall prouoke vnto sinne bicause we preach repentance vnto the wicked It is a weake reason when we preach repentance in the name of God we require the same to come of faith and not of our méere and naturall strength onelie Sound repentance is allowed by God but that repentance which these men faine cannot otherwise doo but puffe vp men and fraught them with a certeine verie wicked confidence of themselues Of them we maie saie Rom. 10 3. that They being ignorant of the righteousnesse of God c. Perhaps some of them haue a zeale of God Ibidem 2. but not according to knowledge If that be ment to be attrition which is not of faith I saie and affirme that it is sinne Attrition without faith is sinne This séemeth to be a hard thing but yet may the same be prooued by manie places of the holie scriptures Christ said that An euill tree cannot bring foorth good fruit Euill be the trées Matt. 7 27. when they haue not faith neither be they regenerated and therfore they cannot bring foorth anie good fruit Likewise he saith that A man Matt. 12 35. out of good treasure bringeth foorth good things and out of euill treasure euill things Againe Matt. 6 23. If thine eye shal be darkened how great will the darkenes be But in these men which as yet be not iustified and regenerated all things be darke Againe Iohn 7 7. The world hateth me bicause I testifie against it that the works of the same are euill They which be without Christ be of the world and their works be euill Paule said of himselfe Rom. 7 18. I knowe that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing That which is borne of the flesh is flesh Iohn 3 6. These men for so much as they be not borne a new there is no let or impediment but that they maie be called flesh And God saith in Genesis My spirit shall not striue with man bicause he is flesh In the sixt chapter verse 3. The imagination of mans hart is altogither euill And in the eight chapter it is added Gen. 8 21. From his childhood and from his infancie And vnto the Romans it is said Rom. 8 7. The sense or wisdome of the flesh is enimitie against God And vnto Timothie 2. Tim. 2 26. such kind of men are said to be captiuated and bound vnto the will of satan In the epistle to the Romans they are said to be sold vnder sinne Rom. 8 14. In the second to the Ephesians such men are described Ephes 2 12. Who be without Christ strangers from the Common-weale of God without hope in the world and without God strangers from the testament of promise And in the same epistle the fourth chapter these men are said To walke in the vanitie of
restored to thee in the resurrection of the iust In Iohn Iohn 12 25. He that loueth his soule in this world shall loose it and he that dooth hate the same shall preserue it vnto euerlasting life And vnder the word Soule he vnderstandeth this life of the bodie wherevnto he that is ouermuch affected and will not render it for the Gospell sake shall loose the same bicause in the resurrection it shal be iudged to perpetuall destruction But he that shall loose the same shall receiue it safe vnto eternall life In the 25. of Matthew Matt. 25 32. Before him shal be gathered all nations And in the 13. Mark 13. 27 of Marke And he shall send his angels and shall gather his elect togither from the foure winds and from the vttermost parts of the earth to the vttermost part of heauen In the 17. of the Acts Acts. 17 verse 18 31 Paule preached this resurrection to the Atheniens when there were present with him the Stoiks Epicures in the stréete of Mars who hearing of that doctrine partlie they laughed it to scorne partlie they said We wil heare thee another time of this matter And they called him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is A carrier about of newes a setter foorth of strangs gods of new doctrine verse 6. In the same booke the 23 chapter when as Paule stood in the college of the Scribes Pharisies and priests and sawe himselfe to liue in great danger he cried out I am a Pharisie and the sonne of a Pharisie verse 15. and I am iudged of the resurrection of the dead And againe in the 24. chapter of the same booke when he had pleaded his cause before Felix the president he testified Acts. 26 8. that both the iust and vniust should rise againe The verie which thing he rehearseth againe when he was before Festus in the presence of king Agrippa and Bernice his wife 54 Yea and Peter in the first epistle vers 3. and first chapter saith that God according to the abundance of his mercie hath begotten vs againe vnto a liuelie hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead And ye by the power of God are kept through faith vnto saluation which shall be shewed in the last time 2. Pet. 3 13. And in the latter epistle the third chapter he saith that In those daies there shall be new heauens and a new earth verse 2. Also Iohn in his first epistle and third chapter writeth When Christ shall appeere then we shall be like vnto him Whereof it is gathered that séeing Christ hath a bodie and is risen againe we also shall rise againe togither with our bodies verse 12. In the 20. chapter of the Apocalypse we read And I sawe the dead both great and small stand in the sight of God c. verse 4. Also in the 21. chapter And God shall wipe awaie all teares from their eies and there shall be no more death verse 14. c. In the 22. chapter also Blessed be they which keepe his commandements that their power may be in the tree of life Rom. 8 11. Paule in the eight chapter to the Romans But if his spirit that raised vp Iesus Christ from the dead dwell in you he that hath raised Iesus Christ from the dead will also quicken your mortall bodies verse 5. And in the sixt chapter For if we be planted with him to the similitude of his death euen so shall we be partakers of his resurrection verse 10. And in the 14. chapter For we shall all appeere before the tribunall seat of Christ 1. Cor. 15. Vnto the Corinthians the first epistle and 15. chapter he intreating purposelie and diligentlie of this question in such sort confirmeth the resurrection that of his iudgement and meaning therein it is not lawfull to doubt I will not drawe out words from thence bicause it should be méet to recite the whole chapter vers 13. c. Howbeit this I will rehearse out of the sixt chapter of the same epistle Our bodie is not for fornication but for the Lord and the Lord for the bodie And God hath also raised vp the Lord and shall raise vs vp by his power And in the latter epistle verse 1 c. the fift chapter mention is made of our habitation in heauen Not being made with hands and that we desire to be clothed vpon and that while we be in this tabernacle we sigh bicause we would not be vnclothed but be clothed vpon that mortalitie might be swalowed vp of life Further it is added that All we shall appeere before the iudgement seat of Christ that euerie one may receiue the things which are doone in his bodie according to that he hath doone whether it be good or euill Vnto the Ephesians verse 1. the second chapter When we were dead through sinnes he quickened vs togither in Christ and hath raised vs vp togither with him and made vs to sit in the heauenlie places verse 10. c. Vnto the Philippians the third chapter That I may knowe him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his afflictions while I am made conformable vnto his death if I may by anie meanes attaine to the resurrection of the dead Vnto the Colossians verse 12. the second chapter Ye being buried togither with him by baptisme in whom ye are also raised togither with him through the faith of the operation of God which hath raised him vp from the dead Likewise in the third chapter verse 3. Your life is hidden with Christ in God wherefore when Christ your life shall appeere then shall you be made manifest with him in glorie Vnto the Thessalonians the first epistle the 4. verse 13. chapter he admonisheth them that They should not sorrowe for them that are asleepe as others doo which haue no hope for if we beleeue that Iesus died and rose againe euen so God will bring with him those which sleepe in Iesus And strait after Ibidem 16. For the Lord himselfe shall descend from heauen with a shout and with the voice of an archangell and with the trumpet of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first Vnto the Hebrues the second chapter verse 14. That by death he might abolish him who had power ouer death In the same epistle the eleuenth chapter Ibidem 19. when Abraham at the commandment of God would haue sacrificed his sonne Isaac of whom he had the promise of posteritie he considered with him selfe that God was able euen to raise him vp from the dead from whence also he reduced him to be a figure of the resurrection Iude verse 15. in his epistle bringeth in Enoch for a testimonie who was the seuenth from Adam and said verse 2◠Behold the Lord commeth in thousands of his saints to giue iudgement against all men and to
for the splendent and ample light for the constant motion of the circles and procéeding therof in excellent order and for the sundrie and manifold influences as also bicause from the parts aboue we haue winds clouds raine haile lightnings thunder c. Neither dooth the prophet vtterlie exclude men from heauen as though they should neuer come thither for thither they shall come which haue liued godlie but that must be at their time appointed So as the Psalmist speaketh of the time of this life as the state of things now stand But presumptuous men haue sometimes abused the words of Dauid so that some haue thought that it should be lawfull for them to doo anie thing vpon the earth to robbe and slaie to turne all vpside downe as though God dooth not marke these things as he that onelie dwelleth in heauen and walking about the limits of heauen taketh no care of our dooings Againe others haue so wickedlie wrested these words that séeing God hath heauen to himselfe and hath giuen the earth vnto the children of men there is no cause whie we should aspire to heauen but rather that euerie man prouide for himselfe as manie parts of the earth as he can get Of this mind they séeme to be which couple field to field and house to house so as they scarselie suffer a foot of land to be possessed by others Further the prophet procéedeth and saith The dead shall not praise the Lord Ibidem 17. That euen the dead do praise the Lord. nor yet all they which go downe into silence The mind of the suppliant is that God would spare the godlie men lest they being consumed there should be a want of such as would set foorth the praise of God But thou wilt saie If the senses of soules and the life of them that be departed be taken awaie will there be a want of such as should praise God True in verie déed it is that in heauen there wil be no want But he hath appointed to receiue fame and praise not onelie in another world but euen here also vpon the earth which will not come to passe if the godlie be consumed by the wicked And God hath so ordeined this as he brought foorth man for this end Otherwise he gaue also the earth vnto cattell vnto lions and also to serpents flies and créeping beasts for all these things are there brought vp and nourished but yet not so as men be For we be placed in the world that we should publish and set foorth God this cannot the dead doo héere séeing they be far from this world And therefore it is said The dead shall not praise the Lord namelie vpon the earth Indéed brute beasts and dumbe cattell haue their abiding vpon the earth and therein are fed and nourished but they were made for the behoofe of man but vnto this maner of end they are not aduanced bicause they are not so indued with reason as they can giue thanks call vpon and celebrate the name of God Hereby let vs gather that the earth is giuen vnto men not to the intent that they should rashlie abuse the same and that they should deuoure the good things thereof like vnto brute beasts but celebrate and extoll the name of God euen as they are continuallie inuited by his benefits Which being onelie doone by the godlie sort if they be oppressed by tyrants and wicked persons who shall remaine to declare and sing out the praises of God The wicked doo blaspheme the name of God so far is it off that they magnifie extoll it The repetition of the word What is ment by the repetition of the word heauen namelie Heauen of heauens dooth betoken a certeine famous and excellent region of the heauens wherein God and Christ dwell with the saints 72 But let vs come vnto Ecclesiastes where in the third chapter it is written verse 19 that Men and cattell haue one maner of end both the one and the other doo die and they haue all one maner of spirit or breath and who knoweth whether the spirit of the sonnes of Adam go vpward and the spirit of beasts go downeward He had said a little before that the successes of the godlie and of the wicked are all one and that thereby it commeth to passe that no man knoweth by the outward fortunes and euents of men who are beloued of God and who be hated But now he compareth man with cattell affirming that the conditions and qualities of them all are one and the same But these must we distinguish bicause some be generall and some speciall As to the speciall the conditions be not all one in euerie sort for cattell be foure-footed but men be two-footed the cattell are without spéech but man dooth speake cattell be not capable of vices and vertues but men are garnished with vertues and polluted with vices Wherefore Salomon in that place treateth of generall qualities as well of men as of beasts For as men be borne and bred vp so commeth it to passe with cattell as those be dissolued into ashes and elements so dooth it happen vnto men as touching the bodie as beasts be fed with meate and quench thirst with drinke and ingender their yoong ones so doo men likewise And whereas it is said that the spirit as well of the one as the other is one that must not be referred to the soule as though Salomon iudged that all men haue but one soule Auerroes and Peripateriks as Auerroës and other of the Peripatetiks did thinke But by the spirit he vnderstandeth the wind or breath for brute beasts and men doo breath all in one aire By the spirit Salomon vnderstandeth the blowing and breath Indéed the spirit of man goeth vpward and the breath of beasts downeward but who knoweth this Who is able to prooue it by strong naturall reasons It is not denied by Salomon that these things happen but he saith that the knowledge and vnderstanding of these things are scarselie or not at all extant among men as touching naturall principles And whereas he saith Who knoweth He as Ierom interpreteth dooth shew a difficultie not an vtter impossibilitie For Socrates Plato Pythagoras and some other philosophers atteined after a sort to the knowledge of immortalitie of soules by what meanes I stand not to prooue In the same book of Ecrlesiastes the ninth chapter it is written verse 10. In the graue that thou goest vnto there is neither worke cogitation knowledge not wisedome c. These things as Ierom saith perteine vnto the good works whereby it is the part of the faithfull to approoue themselues vnto God while they liue in this world In the world to come there shall be no place for good works bicause in the â—ther life they shall haue no place In this life must we beléeue the word of God that we may be iustified here repentance must be taken in hand here the sacraments must be receiued here
but bicause those words are spoken vnto the obstinate and hard-harted therefore are they seuerelie and sharpelie vttered We might also saie that although it were said of Christ that he should not breake a shaken réed nor yet put out a smoking log bicause he came to saue and not to destroie Esaie 8 14. yet doubtles is euen he called a stone to stumble at and a rocke to be offended at for their sakes which with blind and damnable furie ranne vpon him Mal. 4. 5. That daie also was horrible vnto the Iewes bicause of the blindnesse that was cast vpon them Vnto which thou maist adde that the land was smitten with a cursse I meane the land of the Iewes the which by reason of their incredulitie was destroied laid waste by Titus and Vespasian It is said that Elias that is Iohn should turne the harts of the fathers vnto their children Luk. 1 16. and the harts of the children vnto their fathers By which words there séemeth to be attributed vnto a prophet or minister more than is fit For it is the part of God and not of a prophet or of anie man to change the mind harts But vnto this we answer that when we happen vpon the like spéeches In what sense the conuerting of harts is attributed vnto prophets we must not vnderstand an outward ministerie apart frō the spirit strength and power of God but that some one certeine ministerie must be as I may saie conglutinated wrought togither of them Which if it be vnderstood by the figure Synecdoche there is nothing to let but that the same which is proper vnto the one should be attributed vnto the other 1. Cor. 4 15. So Paule saith that he begat the Corinthians by the Gospell And Christ said vnto his apostles Iohn 20 13 Whose sinnes ye forgiue they shall be forgiuen Howbeit these and such like spéeches the ecclesiasticall prelates haue abused and haue wrested them to confirme and inlarge their owne tyrannie as though it might for this cause be lawfull vnto them to challenge vnto themselues armies prouinces kingdoms and empires when as neuerthelesse they haue their owne outward ministerie speciallie ioined vnto them by the spirit The holie scripture vseth these formes of speaking to stir vp and inflame men the more to the studie of the word of God and to the loue of the holie ministerie But now if these things should be seuerallie considered and set apart by themselues we be taught far otherwise Esaie 43 25 For God saith in Esaie I euen I it is that doo forgiue sinnes And by Iohn it is said of Christ Iohn 1 29. Behold the lambe of God behold him that taketh awaie the sinnes of the world And concerning the ministerie Paule saith 1. Cor. 3 6. Neither he that planteth neither he that watereth is anie thing but it is God that giueth the increase And againe when the same apostle had said that he laboured more than the rest Yet not I saith he but the grace of God that is in me 1. Co. 15 10. And when it is said that The harts of the fathers shall be turned vnto the children and the childrens harts vnto the fathers it must be thus vnderstood namelie that it should come to passe by the preaching and ministerie of Iohn that the faith and charitie of the first fathers that is of Abraham Isaac and Iacob shall be deriued vnto their children So as the children shall be like to those parents which in times past were beloued of God and were habitations of the holie Ghost Wherefore betwéene them shall be renewed the vnitie which by reason of the sinne of the posteritie had béene discontinued Yet neuerthelesse Iohn by his ministerie did not wholie performe it but deliuered it as it were by hands vnto Christ to be finished 24 These things haue I argued concerning the place of Malachie according to the interpretation of Christ and the angell from which interpretation the Iewes doo verie much varie Triphon disputing with Iustin Martyr is bold to saie that he knoweth not whether Messias be borne or not borne But this he affirmeth that he shall not haue that power vnlesse that Elias come who should annoint him and declare him vnto the people And this he not onlie once speaketh but he also repeateth it twise whereby it appéereth that this opinion of the returne of Elias sprang not vp first among the fathers of our church but that it was deriued from the Iewes whose fables and imaginations should not so much haue hindered the ancient fathers But the occasiō of the error may some saie that God himselfe hath séemed to giue who absolutelie said in Malachie Behold Mal. 4 5. I send vnto you Elias the prophet but he said not I will send a certeine man vnto you in the spirit and power of Elias As who should saie that God doth not vse such kind of spéeches in other places In the 30. chapter of Ieremie it is written of the Israelits verse 8. Strangers shall not haue dominion ouer them but they shall serue the Lord their God and Dauid their owne king Eze. 34 23. 37 24. Also in the prophet Ezechiel the 34. chapter and else-where such promise is oftentimes repeated namelie that Dauid himselfe should gouerne the people of God And if so be that by Dauid are vnderstood the godlie and holie princes or rather Messias himselfe that was the principall paterne of all these and that the returne of Dauid as touching his person and substance of his bodie was not looked for euen in like maner should they and especiallie the Scribes and Pharisies haue vnderstood those words which were spoken by Malachie concerning Elias But they not onelie vsed not a iust indeuor in the interpreting of the scriptures but rather for the hatred against Iesus our Lord did peruerslie abuse that testimonie But yet there resteth a doubt by what reason it is said 1. Kin. 17. c Iohn 10 41 How Iohn Baptist came in the spirit and vertue of Elias that Iohn came in the spirit power of Elias séeing Elias shewed manie signes but Iohn shewed no miracle We must saie that the likenes betwéene Iohn and Elias is vnderstood of some to be as touching the zeale boldnesse of rebuking conflict with kings and such other like or that there was a knot of true coniunction in the ministerie bicause either of them hauing found right religion fallen awaie and consumed was therevnto ordeined that he should restore the same Which thing both of them namelie Elias and Iohn performed with a mightie spirit Iohn Chrysostome vpon the latter epistle to the Thessalonians intreating of Antichrist saith that both of them were alike in office for Iohn was the forerunner of the first comming and Elias of the latter That Helias was present with Christ vpon the mount Thabor Matt. 17 3. 25 Further we must not passe it ouer that Elias
stock of that Patriarch Saluation is not attributed to the generation of the flesh not that we attribute this to the generation of the flesh as vnto the chiefe and true cause For as our owne saluation is so verily is altogether the saluation of our children of the méere election and mercie of God which oftentimes goeth together with naturall propagation Weigh with thy selfe that euen they be elected of God which be also borne of the saints as we sawe it came to passe in Isaac which was the seed of AbrahaÌ„ Rom. 9. 7. not only according to the election but also according to the generation of the flesh The promise is not generall touching all the seede Not that it dooth alwayes so happen of necessitie because the promise is not generall as touching all the séede but of that onely in which the election together consenteth Otherwise the posteritie of Ismael and Esaw were of Abraham But because we ought not to be ouercurious in searching out the secret prouidence and election of God therefore we iudge the children of the Saintes to be Saintes Séeing wée be ignorant of the secret predestination of God we hope wel of the children of the faithful so long as they by reason of their age shall not declare themselues straungers from Christ We exclude them not from the Church but imbrace them as members thereof hoping well that as they be the séede of the Saintes according to the flesh so also they be partakers of the diuine election that they haue the holy ghost and grace of Christ And for this cause we baptise them Neither must they be heard which mooue a doubt of this matter and say A Cauill What if the minister be deceaued And what if for a very trueth the childe be not the childe of promise of diuine election and of mercie As the profession of a man of ripe age may be a false tokeÌ„ so to be borne of the faithfull is no true signe Because the same cauill may also be as touching them that be of lawful age For we also knowe not whether they come fainedlie or whether they beléeue truely whether they be the children of predestination or of perdition whether they haue the grace of Christ or whether they be destitute thereof and doe falsely say that they belieue Why doost thou baptise them I know thou wilt say This I doe because I follow their outward profession which if they falsifie it is nothing vnto me So we say that the Church dooth therefore imbrace our children and baptise them because they pertaine vnto vs. And that is vnto the Church such a token of the will of God as outwarde profession is in them that be of ripe yeares For as it may be deceaued in the one sort so also it may be in the other There is nothing so certaine but it may be otherwise And so not all so many as are baptised are either saued or predestinated to eternall life Neither can we by any other meanes discerne betwéene the baptised who belong vnto saluation and who be not the sonnes of God but that we dailie iudge of them by their workes 8. Against the Anabaptists Wherefore the Anabaptistes must not be heard which will not haue children to be baptised Because they deny originall sinne therefore they will haue them tary till they come to yeares whenas now euerie one hauing sinned by choyse and fallen by his owne will and infected with vice hath matter to be washed away by baptisme From these men we disagrée as far as heauen is wide Originall â—n prooued Rom. 5. 12. séeing we altogether confesse originall sinne For it is prooued in the Epistle to the Romans where it is said that by one man sinne entred into the world by sinne death Whereby it appeareth that sinne is there wheresoeuer death hath taken place Therefore séeing infantes dye it is of necescitie that they be subiect vnto sin And many other testimonies there be in the same Chapter which most manifestlie prooue this originall sinne And we haue in the psalme Psal 15. 7. For behold I was borne in sinne and in sinnes hath my mother conceaued me And Christ said Iohn 3. 5. Vnlesse a man be borne anew of the water and of the spirit c. Whereby is manifest that if it behooueth vs to be borne againe we be borne in sinne And vnto the Corinthians the 2. Epistle and 5. Chapter Verse 14. it is said of Christ That one dyed for all men But and if he be dead for all it is manifest that the infantes also had néede of a redéemer And when it is said vnto the Romans Ro. 5. ver 6. 8. 10. Christ dyed for them that were sinners enimies and weake and vngodly it followeth that infants also are such in their owne nature wheÌ„ they be born vnlesse we wil say that Christ dyed not for them which is against the iudgement of Paul now alledged And in the booke of Genesis it is shewed Gen. 8. 21. what the imagination of our heart is euen from the very childhood and deliuerance from the mothers wombe Wherefore the Hebrewes haue often in their mouth Ietser haraa an euill imagination which they take out of that place of Genesis And we read in the booke of Iob Iob. 14. 4. Who can make clean that which is conceaued of an vncleane seed Where the séede of man is called vncleane which cannot be otherwise referred but to originall sinne For if thou shalt weigh the naturall causes the séede of man hath no more vncleanesse in it than hath the séede of other liuing creatures Ephe. 2. 3. And to the Ephesians We were by nature the childreÌ„ of wrath as others be Where that word Nature sheweth that this euill is drawen with vs euen from the beginning Why Parents regenerate doe procreate childreÌ„ with original sin And although that they be Christian parents yet because they beget not with that part wherein they are clensed anew with the minde I meane where faith hath place by which they are reconciled vnto God but with the body with the flesh which while we liue here haue not altogether put off their vncleanesse as it is deriued from Adam so dooth it drawe with it his infection and blemish So then we disagrée very much from the Anabaptistes for both we confesse originall sinne which they deny and doe also teach that childreÌ„ ought to be baptised as at this day in the Church Therefore how are the infants of Christians when they are baptised Howe our Infants may be called holie though they be infected with original sinne called holy members of the Church séeing they be corrupted with originall sinne We aunswere that in originall sinne two thinges are to be considered One is the corruption of nature whereby the posteritie of Adam lacketh righteousnesse and are loaden with ignorance and euill concupiscence Then there is a
the last houre of his life doeth receaue the faith which he can neither testifie by words nor yet by signes Further our aduersaries also confesse that there is a baptisme of request desire Baptismus flaminis which they cal The baptisme of fire For whenas a man beléeuing desireth baptisme cannot inioy it dieth they saie he is saued Which also Ambrose iudged of Valentinian the Emperor What Ambrose iudged of Valentinian the Emperour which came vnto him to be baptised and was slaine by the waie How then do they regard this sentence Vnlesse a man be borne againe of the water and the spirit c If a request desire be there sufficient why maie it not be sufficient in children the election of God and the promise and the holy Ghost wherewith we declare them to be indued séeing they be borne of faithfull progenitors Iohn 3. 5. The water and the spirit taken to be both one Moreouer Christ talked there with Nichodemus who was of a perfect age and might haue had the benefite both of water and of a minister There be some also which there by the water and the spirit vnderstand all one thing so as the latter worde expresseth the former For Water allegoricallie doeth diuerse times signifie grace and the holie ghost as Christ shewed when he talked with the Woman of Samaria and when he cried Iohn 4. 10. Iohn 7. 37. Ioel. 2. 28. He that thirsteth let him come vnto me and drinke And in Ioel it is saide I will powre vpon you cleane water c. And the same manner of spéech in a maner thou hast in that which Iohn Baptist saide of Christ Matt. 3. 11. He that commeth after me he baptiseth with fire and with the spirit In which place fire and the spirit signifie all one thing but the former answeres are plaine enough 19 There is another place in the 17. Chapter of the booke of Genesis Verse 14. But the vncircumcised manchilde in whose flesh the foreskinne is not circumcised that soule shall be cut off from his people Whose flesh shall not be circumcised his soule shal be rooted out because he hath broken my couenant Behold saie they the young Hebrewes which died without circumcision were to be cut off and that as touching the soule wherefore it séemeth to followe that they cannot haue saluation Howbeit this place also prooueth but little which euen our aduersaries shall be compelled to graunt Forsomuch as the Maister of the Sentences in the 4. The master of the Sentences Booke when he followeth this opinion that children which died before the viij daie being vncircumcised were damned is forsaken How the Hebrewes vnderstand that sentence and for the more part is not defended by the writers And as touching the matter the Hebrewes referre these words vnto him which after the viij daie was not circumcised and they vnderstand the cutting off to be as concerning the life of the bodie to wit that he shoulde die before his naturall time which opinion séemeth to be prooued out of the historie of Moses Exod. 4. 24 where the Angel would slaie him because he had not circumcised his sonne But this proofe séemeth not to be sufficient ynough because it is not read that the Angell meant to kill the childe but the father vnlesse perhaps they bring this testimonie onelie to the intent to declare that the threatening was to kill the bodie There be others which vnderstand That the soule should be cut off from among the people because he shall not be reckoned among the Israelites nor their Church neither shall be numbred in the common weale there to obtaine neither heritage nor office Nowe séeing these two interpretations may be vsed it maketh the argument to be weake But least we should séeme to giue the slip Look part 4 cap. 7. art 20 admit that God speake there of the death of the soule and of the losse of eternall life yet may wée expound that these things must not so be vnderstoode except when the circumcised shall be come to age and shall consent to the negligence of his elders which did not circumcise him Otherwise if he himselfe shall circumcise himselfe and shall detest that which the Parents did towards him he shall not deserue to be cut off but rather to be commended So must the law of God be vnderstood if their happen a consent of omitting Circumcision he is worthie to perish he I meane shall be cut off But if so be he depart vncircumcised before he haue power to circumcise himselfe he must be left to the merrie of God neither is it méete to iudge rashlie of him But séeing he might belong to the predestination or to the election of God and that he came of godlie ancestors we maie hope well of him And the selfe same iudgement in all respectes is to be giuen of this sentence that was of the saying of Christ which we intreated of before namelie Iohn 3. 5. Vnlesse a man shall be borne of water and the spirit he shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen Which saying since our aduersaries are constrained whether they will or no to vnderstand modestlie there is no cause why thy shoulde so greatly wrangle about this sentence By these things which we haue nowe alleaged it is easilie prooued that our young children séeing now by the worde of God and promise of the couenant they séeme to be ingraffed to the Church ought not to be excluded from Baptisme Euen as the children of the Hebrewes although they were young ones were circumcised The ninth Chapter Of the dedication of Temples wherein is intreated of sundrie corruptions of Baptisme WHile I earnestly think vppon the Dedication of the temple which Salomon made In 2. kin 8. at the end that cōmeth to my remembrance which Augustin hath in a certaine Oration to the people of the dedication of a temple to wit that those things which are doone in the outward temples doe also pertaine vnto vs who bée the true temples of God The dedication of a Temple is applied vnto vs. Verse 17. Wherefore in the first Epistle to the Corinthians the third Chapter it is written That the Temple of God is holie which are you Verse 17. Further we haue in the 6. Chapter Verse 19. Your bodies are the Temples of the holie Ghost Therefore we must take héede least we erre in the dedicating of any of both temples The outwarde temple is then dedicated when we begin to applie it to holie vses Godlie men are visible consecrated when they be baptized and godlie men are then visiblie consecrated vnto God when they be washed in holie baptisme But this must be prouided that both the one and the other bée doone according to the rule of the word of God But séeing we are to intreate of these things it is méete we should begin with the Etymologie of the words What
greatly deceiued this is the gift of Christ alone and therefore Iohn in pointing vnto Christ said Behold the lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world And in Exodus the 33. Verse 39. it is expressed as a thing proper vnto God that he taketh awaie iniquitie vngodlines and sinnes And Esaie in the 43. Chapter Verse 25. It is I that take awaie sinnes In the first of Iohn we reade 1. Ioh. 2. 10. He it is that is the Propitiation for our sinnes Which also Paule affirmed vnto the Romans when he saieth Rom. 3. 25. Whom he hath set foorth a Propitiation through his bloud 1. Iohn 1. 9 Also Iohn in his first Epistle and first Chapter wrote The bloud of Iesus Christ his sonne clenseth vs from all sinne Verilie the outward things doe not cleanse the conscience otherwise Christ had died in vaine Againe the soule which is a spirit and without bodie is not purged by grosse corporall things Which the Epistle to the Hebrewes the 9. Verse 9. Chapter doeth plainely teach when it saith That the giftes and sacrifices doe not purge nor make cleane but that Christ was the verie high Priest who hauing wrought eternall redemption passed into the heauens And if at anie time the holie scriptures maie séeme to attribute forgiuenesse of sinnes or saluation to outward signes that must be vnderstoode by the figure Metonymia wherby those things are giuen vnto signes which are proper vnto the things signified the things signified are expressed by the name of the signes So Peter in his first Epistle saith 1. Pet. 3. 20 that in the time of Noah viij soules were saued by the water alluding vnto baptisme Howbeit by water he vnderstandeth not the outward element but that washing which is done by the bloud of Christ And so in the outwarde signe hée comprehendeth the thing signified Which he himselfe manifestly declareth afterward when he saieth 1. Pet. 3. 21. Not in that wherein the filthes of the flesh is put awaie but in that a good conscience answereth euen to God by the Resurrection of Iesus Christ So that by the water he noted the bloud death which is expressed vnder the name of Resurrection After the same manner must that be vnderstoode Ephe. 5. 25 which wee haue to the Ephesians namely That Christ gaue himselfe for the Church that the same might be sanctified by the washing of water through the word c. The cause of sanctification is Christ himselfe who gaue himselfe for vs and for that cause gaue the washing of water that the cleansing by him might be testified by the word and by the signe Brieflie this must be held that the outward signes ioyne vs not vnto Christ but that they be giuen when we bée alreadie ioined vnto him A similitude Euen as the watch word of souldiers doth not leuie a souldier but hath bin accustomed to be giuen when he is alreadie leuied And there is none that marketh his shéepe horse and oxe vnlesse he first possesse those beastes Yea and the letters of Donation are first finished and written before the seales of the giuers be set vnto them And assuredly thus God delt with Abraham Gen. 15. 6. First he beleeued and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse Then he receiued circumcision as a seale of the righteousnesse of faith which he was indued with whē he was vncircumcised Neither did God begin to deale with Abraham in circumcision but the same circumcision followed iustification Which is also doone in baptisme The thing it self that is the couenant made with mankinde by Christ goeth before afterward followeth the outward token And that it is not otherwise with vs than with Abraham Paul declareth when he saieth Rom. 4. 23. that he was set forth vnto vs as an example of iustification Which if it were not all the Arguments of Paule concerning that matter should be weake yea rather they would be vtterly ouerthrowen 19 Yet doe I not denie Certaine signified things that follow baptisme but that there be certaine signified things of baptisme which doe not goe before but followe the eternall washing as is mortification and repentance and according to this Analogie I vnderstand that which we haue in the Epistle vnto the Romans to wit that we die with Christ Rom. 6. 4. and are buried together with him because the olde man that is the affections and lustes of the flesh must perpetuallie bee mortified which is not yet brought to passe so soone as we be baptized but it is requisite that it should afterward be doone And whereas we reade vnto the Galathians Gal. 3. 27. So manie of you as are baptized haue put on Christ I iudge it must be so expounded as if thou vnderstand To put on Christ for to be made the member of him that goeth before baptisme but if you meane it by manners and life to expresse the childe of God Two places in the Epistle to the Galathians expounded that followeth after baptisme receiued So as we must decrée as concerning the children of faithfull men that they be reckoned among the faithfull and that the children of the Saints are numbred among the Saints 1. Cor. 7. 14 as Paul testifieth in the first Epistle to the Corinthians And if that one will obiect Ib. 12. ve 13 that in the same Epistle the 12. Chapter it is written that wee bee baptized into one bodie that must not be so expounded as though we first passe by outward baptisme into the bodie of Christ An obiection touching original sin confuted séeing we were of the bodie of Christ before Then to the intent that this maie be testified and sealed we are outwardly baptized Ibidem And therfore before those words it is written By the spirit we are baptized into one bodie So that it is first wrought by the worke of the holie Ghost that we become the mēbers of Christ then baptisme is added Wherefore séeing the Infants of Christians be such there is no cause why they should be adiured or breathed vppon But we must weigh that it is not brought to passe by those things that originall sinne is vtterly taken awaie because we confesse that all men are borne the children of wrath and be depraued with originall sinne séeing that kinde of sinne commeth not by imitation as the Pelagians taught but it is the corrupting of the whole nature of man both as touching the soule as touching the bodie Againe we adde that God by Iesus Christ doeth make cleane his elect and predestinate so as the vice which in his owne nature should be mortall sinne shall not bee imputed to them vnto death Further by his spirit he renueth and adorneth them Afterward is added the sealing of outward baptisme First therfore they haue election or predestination they haue the promise and they are borne of faithfull Parents and séeing they be now in the
others they are not excluded God verie well knoweth who they be which are wrapped in this kind of sinne but men séeing they knowe not who are by nature fallen into so great a wickednes may not remooue them from the holie doctrine It is requisit no doubt that those which are sinners against the holie Ghost be not such as fall by ignorance or infirmitie but that they be such as are led therevnto by a hatred of the truth to striue against the same so that willinglie and wittinglie they oppose themselues against the truth resist it and to the vttermost of their power hinder the course thereof which neuertheles they will knowe to be the truth How are men able to vnderstand this thing séeing they cannot attaine to the secretnes of anie mans mind and will Wherfore those which be thus ill affected doo heare the word of God without fruit although they be not excluded from the hearing thereof euen for this cause that they cannot be perceiued howbeit that which they heare dooth increase their greater condemnation For of such force is the word of God Iam. 1 21. as either it saueth the hearers or becommeth a destruction vnto them And so great héed dooth the church take 1. Cor. 1 18. that it driueth not awaie anie from the word of God Excommunicate persons are not excluded from hearing the word of God it admitteth thervnto euen those which be excommunicate and them which doo not yet beléeue whom otherwise it driueth both from the sacraments and from publike praiers Perhaps thou wilt demand How cōmeth this difference betwéene the word of God and the doctrine of the philosophers Herof assuredlie it commeth Wherein the word of God and the philosophers doctrine differ that mens saiengs although they be famous and commendable yet are they not indued with that strength and power as they be able to change or correct vnprofitable and corrupt minds But the power and strength of the word of God to call men vnto God is incredible Not as though euen those things which the philosophers also taught or put in writing be without their strength For we denie not that most ancient common saieng wherin it is said that Whatsoeuer is true of what author soeuer it was spoken procéedeth from the holie Ghost But those things which be spoken by the motion of the holie Ghost cannot be altogither void of some effect although it be of much lesse effect than the vehemencie wherewith the holie scriptures are furnished Who will denie that the common sort of stones are adorned with their owne strength and proper power and the same not vnprofitable to our life although they may not be compared with the strength of pretious stones Vnto whō the holie scriptures must not be imparted But I returne to the matter I find onlie one kind of men vnto whom the holie doctrine must not be imparted and they be such as deride and openlie slander the doctrine of Christ For he commanded his apostles that they should not commit the heauenlie doctrine to dogs hogs which in verie déed must be vnderstood of contempt and outward derision that is Matth. 7 6. when with slanders and contumelies they raile vpon true godlines Which if they doo secretlie to themselues so that they will heare quietlie and will suffer themselues to be admonished and taught they must not be put backe from hearing the same Neither must publike preaching be left off for their sakes which are open scoffers railers reprochfull persons when such cannot be driuen awaie bicause perhaps they be ouer mightie lest for one or two mens causes the whole people should be defrauded of the food of their soule Yée sée therefore that onlie these are to be remooued from the holie doctrine from whence other men of what condition soeuer they be must not be forbidden naie rather they must be exhorted to come verie often therevnto Those things which I haue spoken belong to the vsuall and receiued ordinance of the church since I knowe that the spirit hath sometime forbidden the apostles and may now restraine some that they preach not in some places to those to whom otherwise they had determined to preach which bicause it is a worke of God not of men therefore it serueth not to this purpose The eight Chapter Of Lots whereby Gods counsell was asked and first of Vrim and Thumim which were so called of charitie and perfection AN olde expositor of the scriptures called Kimhi Out of the booke of Iudges 20 27. The maner of giuing out oracles by Drim and Thumim Looke In Iudg. 1 verse 1. vpon the twentie chapter of the booke of Iudges verse the 26 noted manie things not vnprofitable for the vnderstanding of other places of the scripture by questions and oracles He saith that It was the maner among the Hebrues to aske questions of God and he that would demand anie thing touching either publike or weightie matters he came to the préest who being apparelled with his Ephod garment stood before the arke of the Lord. And vpon his Ephod were set twelue pretious stones wherein the names of the twelue tribes were ingrauen togither with the names of Abraham Isaac and Iacob and also all the letters of the Hebrue alphabet It behooued him that asked a question to turne his face towards the préest and his spéech should neither be so lowd as hée might plainlie be heard nor yet so lowe as if he had onlie praied with his inward cogitations but euen in such wise as Anna praied in the first booke of Samuel where it is said 1. Sam. 1 13 that She onelie mooued hir lips said nothing that might be heard After this the oracle was shewed to the préest in this maner By the power of the holie Ghost certeine letters appéered foorth or shined vpon the breast wherin the préest did read the oracle or wil of God And this was that Vrim and Thumim which is spoken of These be the words of Kimhi But what credit should be giuen vnto him I knowe not For it might be that the spirit of God gaue out his pleasure by the mouth of the préest without those letters In 1. Sam. 10 vers 19. 2 Touching lots we haue an example in the first of Samuel the 10. verse for there Samuel willeth that all the people should stand by tribes He himselfe would pronounce nothing least the thing should séeme to be doone by his owne appointment therefore God pronounced Saule to be king doubtlesse not through his owne merit but for the people sake least they should striue among themselues for the choosing of him Saule was chosen by lots The cause of lotting The matter was permitted vnto lots to the intent that dissention might be auoided For if Samuel had chosen the king vpon his owne liking they might haue thought him to be led by fauour affection Againe if the voices of the people should haue taken place
king of the Assyrians to deliuer him from the siege 2. King 16 7 so far off was he from putting confidence in the Lord. And when as God béeing not ignorant of his disease offered him the remedie of a miracle and put it vnto his choise yet he through hypocrisie refused If Achaz had trulie beléeued God he would not haue refused to obeie séeing obedience is reckoned among the chéefest fruits of faith Let vs I beséech you compare with this vngodlie king the most godlie prince Ezechias his sonne who dealt not in this sort For he Obedience is the cheefe fruit of faith 2. King 20 8 to be the more assured of recouering his health verie modestlie required a signe vnto whose choise when Esaie had put whether he would haue the shadowe of the sunne to be set forward or to be turned backward he tooke his choise as he thought good neither did he frowardlie like his father refuse the miracle offered him by God Miracles offered not to be reiected But wicked Achaz to his infidelitie ioined hypocrisie For he considering that miracles are for two causes refused either for that a man openlie beléeueth in God and hath no néed of the helpe of miracles or else for that he vtterlie contemneth God and passeth nothing at all for this helpe he minded to hide the latter disease whereof he was sick namelie the contempt of God and made as though he had the vertue that is to saie a principall faith whereof in déed he was altogither destitute as though he durst not tempt God Psal 7 10. But séeing God most throughlie knoweth the harts and reines he by the prophet punished him according to his desarts A similitude What other thing is it to refuse a miracle offered by God but to reiect that which should helpe our spirituall infirmitie And euen as he that béeing well-néere starued with hunger would forsake his sustenance is worthie to be accused so was he to be reprooued which reiected a medicine offered him by God séeing God knoweth far better than our selues what euerie one of vs néedeth This is now sufficient concerning those things which in the beginning of this question séemed altogither to forbid the asking of miracles 18 I knowe indéed there be some which thinke that miracles ought not in anie wise to be asked but onlie that they should not be refused when God offereth them And they suppose that Augustine maketh with them Augustine De consensu Euangelistarum who in the fourth booke of the concordance or consent of the euangelists and in his 63. question vpon Genesis may séeme to affirme this thing But if a man obiect that verie manie godlie righteous men haue so doone especiallie our Gedeon they answere that they were mooued by the spirit of God to desire miracles therefore it was all one as if God had fréelie offered miracles vnto them and they with obedience had receiued those which were offered But these things ought nothing to trouble vs bicause Augustine in the places alledged dooth not flatlie and absolutelie forbid the desiring of miracles vnlesse they be demanded either in respect of tempting God or else for some other naughtie cause Yea and in the 63. question vpon Genesis he saith that When this is not rightlie doone it belongeth to the tempting of God Let vs rather heare what he saith in the tenth book of confessions the 35. chapter In religion also it is a tempting of God when signes and miracles are desired for making of a triall which thing I also a little before haue charged to be auoided For I will easilie grant that holie men required miracles not by the instinct of the flesh or of mans reason for then had their praiers béene vaine and to no purpose Rom. 8 26. séeing as Paule testifieth it is néedefull that the spirit should praie for vs with vnspeakable gronings But now I thinke there hath béene sufficientlie spoken of the questions propounded 19 But what the difference is betwéene signes and woonders In Rom. 15. verse 18. The difference betweene signes and woonders it cannot easilie be declared Origin thinketh that those onlie are to be called signes which though they be woonderfull of themselues yet they shew some other thing to come But woonders are those which doo onlie plucke men into admiration Looke an Epistle vnto Ludouike Lauater beginning Tuas litteras bicause they be doone after an vncustomed maner and against the power and order of nature But he also confesseth that this distinction is not obserued in the holie scriptures And trulie all the miracles whatsoeuer they were that Paule shewed were signes In 1. Cor. 12 verse 11. Looke In Iud. 2. verse 1. and In 2. King 2 verse 1. whereby the truth of his preaching was approoued The verie which thing we must affirme as touching the woonderfull works of Christ and of the prophets But the scriptures of the new testament wherin oftentimes there is mention made of the signes and woonders which Christ and his apostles did haue imitated the phrase of the old testament For there a man shall often find Othoth and Mophetim ioined togither Neither doo I thinke that there is anie difference betwéene the words except it be in degrée and quantitie yet am I not ignorant but that there may be signes or Othoth which haue in them no admiration at all Such be accents letters points speaches and other like the which we doubt not but are signes and yet they procéed either from art or from nature But the diuine oracles to the intent they might signifie that certeine works of the prophets of Christ and his apostles did not onlie shew some thing besides that which was wrought but also that they stirred vp a kind of astonishment woondring haue oftentimes ioined these words togither This vndoubtedly is my opinion which for anie thing that I sée I may still hold vnles an other man will shew me a better 20 But séeing it is written that The spirit distributeth to euerie one as he will wée learne thereby that no time must be prescribed vnto it for he desposeth these things when he will and how he will Whereby their argument is dissolued which saie that in Marke it is written These signes shall followe them that beleeue they shall cast out diuels Mark 16 17 they shall speake with new toongs they shall take awaie serpents c. Wherefore séeing these signes be not doone in vs it followeth that faith is not in the church of these daies But they be deceiued Miracles in the primitiue church were signes of faith For these things are not absolutelie and without exception but in some respect the tokens of faith belonging to that primitiue church vntill the gospell were made more manifest For miracles were as trumpets and open criers wherby the gospell was commended A similitude For euen as the lawe of Moses procured to it selfe credit through the
rich man which decréed with himselfe to inlarge his barnes and to laie vp for manie yéeres to come it is said Thou foole Luke 12 20. this night shall they take thy soule from thee Also Chrysostome in his second homilie of Lazarus The soules of men saith he are not taken awaie al in one maner of estate for some depart hence vnto paine and others béeing garded with angels are taken vp into heauen Apoc. 7 14. and 14 4. In the Apocalypse the soules of the blessed receiue long garments they stand before the throne and followe the lambe wheresoeuer he goeth Acts. 7 59. When Steeuen was dieng he said Lord Iesus receiue my spirit If the soule should haue died vtterlie why did he rather commend that than his bodie doubtlesse it cannot be found in anie place that the godlie commended their bodies vnto the Lord. And in the second to the Corinthians the 5. chap. For we knowe verse 9. that if the earthlie mansion of this our tabernacle be dissolued we haue a building giuen of God euen an house not made with hands but eternall in the heauens These words are not to be vnderstood of our state after the resurrection for there we shall be clothed with our bodies also and therefore they are ment of the state betwéene our departure hence and the resurrection Wherefore soules doo remaine after this life And in the same epistle Paule saith Whether in the bodie or out of the bodie 2. Cor. 12 3. I knowe not c. Which prooueth that the soule may be seuered from the bodie For he putteth a possibilitie both of the one waie the other In this place therefore the question is not as touching the bodie but as touching the soule of Samuel 3 But the controuersie is whether this were Samuel or the diuell About which matter not onlie the Rabbins but also the christian fathers haue disagréeed among themselues The opinions of the fathers and first of Iustinus Yea and among the latter writers Burgensis thinketh one waie and Lyra another Iustinus Martyr against Triphon saith that It was Samuel In which place he hath certeine things which may not well be granted For he saith that all souls before Christ euen of the godlie were after a sort vnder the power of the diuell so that he might bring them backe when he would But Christ saith Luke 16 22. that Lazarus was in the bosome of Abraham and not in the power of the diuell But that thou wilt saie is a parable I grant it yet is it drawne from things likelie to be true and which might be Yea and Tertullian so accounted that narration to be doone indéed as he thinketh that Lazarus was Iohn Baptist and the rich glutton was Herod and that Christ would forbeare their names verse 23. In the 46. of Ecclesiasticus is set foorth the praise of Samuel where among other things it is said that he prophesied after that he was dead and foreshewed to the king the daie of his death Contrariwise Tertullian in his booke De anima Tertullian hath manie things most worthie to be marked For he calleth the arts of magicke a second idolatrie For euen as in the former the diuell faineth himselfe to be God so in the latter he faineth himselfe to be an angel or a dead man séeketh both waies to be worshipped And it is no maruell if he dazell the outward eies of men when as he before occupied the eies of the mind For so saith he did the rods of Pharaos sorcerers séem to be serpents Exod 7 1◠The rod of Pharao sorcerers but yet afterward falshood was deuoured vp of the truth And wheras the Symonians say that they can with their inchantments call vp the dead vnto life that was onlie a méere imagination and a mocke And euen so the diuell in this place mocked both the witch and Saule and deceiued both the eies of the one and the eares of the other In Lybia saith he there be Nasomons which lie at the toombs of their parents and in Europe French men which lie watching at the sepulchers of mightie men to the intent they may receiue oracles frō them after they are dead but he saith that in those things there is no certeintie or soundnes and that they be onlie vaine lies and phantasies Origin writeth nothing purposelie of this matter and yet in the historie of Balaam he saith Origin that good spirits doo not obeie magicall incantations Contrariwise Ambrose vpon Luke Ambrose held that it was Samuel in the first booke and first chapter saith that Samuel prophesied euen when he was dead But without doubt he alludeth vnto that place of the 46. chapter of Ecclesiasticus As touching Chrysostome and Ierom I will speake afterward Augustine was doubtful whether it was Samuel or not 4 Augustine did not alwaies write of this thing after one maner In the second booke to Simplicianus the third question he saith that both may be defended yet as touching the first opinion he séemeth to doubt how Saule béeing a man now reiected by God could talke with Samuel béeing a prophet and holie man But he answereth that this is no new thing for in Iob Iob. 1 6. the euill spirits talked with God himselfe And in the historie of Achab the lieng spirit offered his seruice vnto the Lord 1. Kings 22. yea and that princes doo sometimes talke with théeues yet to the intent they may punish them whereas in the meane time they speake not with honest men The diuell can doo manie things against the godlie Iob. 1. 12 and 2 6. Luk. 22 31. Matth. 4 5. whom they looue and meane to defend But what power saith he had the diuell ouer Samuel that he was able to bring him He answereth that he had power to torment Iob and that he coueted to sift his disciples that he set Christ vpon the pinacle and furder that if Christ without anie diminishing of his honour might be hanged vpon the crosse and afflicted with torments it is likelie that Samuel also might be raised againe without anie impairing of his felicitie doubtlesse not by anie strength or power of the diuell but by the permission of God that he might terrifie Saule So doo some vnderstand that which was doone in Balaam Num. 22 12 for he was a soothsaier and tooke his iournie to the intent that by magicall charms he might curse the Iewes but God preuented the cunning of the diuell Howbeit of this matter I affirme nothing But Augustine demandeth further how Samuel being so good a man did come vnto an euill man And he answereth that in this life also good men doo come vnto euill men But this is a weake argument for men doo it in this life either of dutie or else of fréendship or familiaritie Now Samuel was out of this life and was called by a witch whom he ought not to haue obeied But Augustine
euen without them both they may haue their being and also may exercise their owne actions For they loue they desire they vnderstand euen without bodies 15 Now we must sée what they can doo Two sorts of power of the spirits Their power is of two sorts one in vnderstanding another in working But we will sée what is to be attributed vnto them in both kinds Of the knoledge which they haue That spirits doo knowe manie things we haue no doubt for after the opinion of Lactantius Tertullian Capella Looke In 1. Cor. 12 2. and Plato in his booke intituled Cratylus they be called Daemones quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à sciéndo that is of knowing Whether they know of things to come But peraduenture you will demand whether they also knowe things to come for the which things chéeflie their counsell is demanded I answere that things to come are not alwaies knowne after one maner First things to come are not knowne as things present but of God onelie for he within his compasse comprehendeth all the differences of times For as Paule saith All things are naked laid before his eies Heb. 4 14. Others doo not presentlie sée the effects of things but by reasons they gather of things to come and that manie waies For first they sée the causes of things and by them gather of the effects which shall afterward followe But of causes some are necessarie and some not necessarie of necessarie are such as be contained in the mathematikes and in the opposition or coniunction of the heauenlie spheres So doo men which be skilfull in the stars foretell manie yéeres before hand what time eclipses shall happen afterward Other causes sometime are not necessarie or certeine for their effects may be hindered and such are those which are called things seldome happening or things that may happen this waie or that waie So the mariner pronounceth of the tempest and the physician of the pulse 16 Then if there be such knowledge granted vnto man How the spirits knowe of things to come much rather must the same be granted vnto spirits For they are not let by the heauines and lumpe of the flesh as men be besides this continuance and experience is a furtherance vnto them For if that old men doo sée manie more things than yoong men doo The old age of spirits then is it credible that spirits which liue for euer doo knowe verie manie things and if they haue bodies proper and of their owne as some thinke they haue such as are nimble and readie The nimblenes of them so that in a verie short space they can flie to and fro ouer all places of the world and make relation what is doone euerie-where And for that cause Tertullian calleth them Tertullian Flieng spirits When they doo these things they may séeme to be prophets bicause they foreshew such things as are afterward declared vnto vs in writing And Augustine De ciuitate Dei saith Augustine that They foreshew these things that they might be accounted for prophets And in his booke De genesi ad litteram he reciteth an historie of a certeine man who as he saith would take meate at no mans hands but at the hands of a certeine préest and that whereas the préest dwelled far off about the space of fiue mile from him he was woont to tell before hand Now is he comming out of his house now is he onward in the waie now is he in the tauerne now is he come to the field now is he at the doore But Augustine denieth that this kind of foretelling is prophesie for if a troope of soldiers should come from some place A similitude the watchman from the top of a tower spieng them comming should declare that within short space they would be there he saith that he neuerthelesse cannot séeme to be a prophet Moreouer spirits may foretell those things which God commandeth them to doo Spirits may foretell things commanded them by God as oftentimes it happeneth for God dooth oftentimes command them to wast and destroie countries And as Dauid saith He destroied Egypt by euill angels So in Samuel Psal 78 49. 1. Sam. 28 verse 19. the diuell foretold that Saule the next daie after should die for he was then in the bondage and possession of the diuell Further when they sée that they haue a bound prescribed them they promise so they may haue some little gift giuen them that they will rage no longer Spirits of the aire An other reason is for that they be placed in the aire and from that region as out of a watch tower they perceiue the influences and euents of things much more easilie than we can They see the scriptures of the prophets Besides this also they sée the scriptures of the prophets and whatsoeuer is doone in the church and although otherwise they knowe manie things yet are they much better learned both by meanes of the scriptures and also for bicause they sée what is doone in the church Wherefore Paule vnto the Ephesians saith Ephe. 3 10. that The hidden mysterie of Christ is made manifest vnto principalities and powers in the heauenlie places And whereas Hermes Trismegistus foreshewed vnto Asclepius that there would be a fall and desolation of idols and lamented the same Augustine saith in his booke De ciuitate Dei that he might vnderstand that by the predictions of the holie prophets Manie times also doo they knowe for that they be present at the counsels of God and are called to execute his commandements For so when GOD was taking counsell to deceiue Achab the diuell stood foorth and promised that he would be A lieng spirit in the mouth of all the prophets of Achab 1. Kin. 22 22 and a certeine other spirit obtained of God to forment trouble Iob. And it is no maruell Iob. 2 6. for the diuell is the minister of God to doo execution Howbeit when they be thus called to the counsels of God they sée what he hath appointed to doo They gather the causes by the effects Oftentimes also by effects they gather the causes of things as if they sée a man liue well and godlie they suspect that he is a chosen of God for good déeds be the fruits and effects of election in like maner if they sée a man to frame himselfe well vnto religion and to knéele deuoutlie they thinke he praieth although they cannot descend into his mind 17 But although they can by so manie waies and meanes knowe things to come Why the spirits are oftentimes deceiued yet are they oftentimes deceiued and that for manie causes first bicause God can let the causes of things God can let the causes how certeine soeuer they be though they be neuer so certeine or necessarie When the children were cast into the burning fornace it was certeine that they should be burned but God did
plainelie that the diuell cannot knowe mans cogitations For they call God The knower of harts and saie that He alone is the searcher of the harts reines Psal 7 11. And they adde that None knoweth the secrets of man 1. Cor. 2 11. but the spirit of man that is within him and that The spirit searcheth out euen the deepe mysteries of God Séeing onlie God and man can sée mans hart the diuell must néeds be excluded And Salomon in the second booke of Chronicles the sixt chap. in those solemne praiers verse 30. which he made after the finishing of the temple speaketh thus vnto God Thou onlie ô Lord knowest the thoughts of mans heart As if he had said No man no angels nor any other thing created And Ieremie Ierem. 17 9. Peruerse saith he and very deepe is the hart of man who is able to search the bottome thereof And of the person of God he addeth I am God which searcheth the heart and reines Further God will not worke togither with the diuell so that the diuell also should be able to sée the cogitations and minds of men And this is thought of some to be doone through the mercie of God For if he could looke into the secret counsels of our harts he would tempt vs much more vehementlie The author of the book De dogmatibus ecclesiasticis affirmeth for certeintie Augustine De dogmatibus ecclesiasticis that the diuell cannot knowe the thoughts of men And Ierom vpon the ninth chapter of Matthew expounding these words verse 4. And Iesus perceiuing their thoughts by this saith he it is euident inough that Christ is God séeing he can reach euen vnto the harts of men By signes therefore and outward tokens the diuell maie gesse what we cast in our minds but to what end and purpose and what we thinke he cannot for certeintie vnderstand And out of doubt if he were sure of the faith constancie of holie men he would neuer tempt them least he should be shamefullie reiected as it fell out in Iob. 19 Touching the knowledge which the diuell hath By what meanes the spirits can giue answers we haue spoken sufficientlie Now we must sée by what meanes he is able to declare those things which he foreséeth will com to passe there be diuers waies therof For he hath oracles fore-speakings dreams superstitions working by circles and pricks in the earth diuinations on the water necromancie lots soothsaiengs by birds beasts and a number such like And these things he sheweth vnto men for no other end but to obteine of them some offering seruice Which thing Seneca not vnderstanding in the fourth booke of his naturall questions iesteth at certeine things which séeme to serue for our purpose For he saith that Among the Cleons there was a custome that when they which were the obseruers of the comming of haile had perceiued by some cloud that haile was readie to fall vpon their vines they should diligentlie warne the people of the same now they fled neither to cloke nor couer but to sacrifice For they which were of some welth killed either a cocke or a white lambe those of the poorer sort which had neither cock nor lambe vsed violence on themselues with a very sharp pointed knife let themselues blood out of the thumb as though forsooth saith Seneca that sillie little bloud could rech vnto the clouds These are his words but as I saie he vnderstood not the ambition of euill spirits 20 Now we must consider of the power of spirits as touching those works Of the power and strength of spirits which séeme to be aboue nature Some iest at all this matter and thinke that nothing at all can be doone either by magicians or by spirits And of this mind is Plinie in the thirtie book of his naturall historie and the first chapter for he saith That art magike is vaine and vncerteine that It is found by most euident reasons that all art magike is vaine and hath neither any certeintie nor soundnes For he sheweth that Nero being a prince as he gaue himselfe to the studie of singing and ruling of chariots so he was desirous of art magike and that he wanted neither wit nor power nor instructor For that Tyridatis the king of Armenia receiued his kingdome from him and by his commandement brought verie learned magicians out of the east that Nero also as he was very diligent suffered himselfe to be instructed but that at the length all came to nothing And this also may be said of Iulian the apostata for after that he had begun to giue himselfe vnto magicians all things began to fall to ruine If these so great princes and as it were rulers of the world could bring nothing to passe what may we gesse of other men And yet the diuels must néeds haue obeied these two men most of all for they were the most malicious enimies of christian religion But howsoeuer it be there is no doubt but the diuels can doo manie things howbeit whie they would doo nothing for Nero and Iulians sake God onlie knoweth For he will not haue the diuell to doo more than he himselfe permitteth and willeth him to doo for the strength of spirits and their power of working dependeth no lesse vpon God than dooth their knowledge 21 But that magicians can doo much That magicians can doo manie things it is prooued by the scripture Exo. 22 18. Gen. 20 6. and 27 Deut. 18 10. it may be prooued out of Gods lawe For in the 42. chapter of Exodus the 20. of Leuiticus in the 18. of Deuteronomie it is commanded that The magicians soothsaiers and witches should be punished with extreamitie The same thing also is decréed by mans lawe For there is a caueat in the twelue tables that none should charme other mens fruits Whereof Plinie likewise maketh mention and so dooth Seneca in his booke of naturall questions But lawes are not made but of things that be and doo vsuallie come to passe In the code De maleficis mathematicis there be many lawes extant concerning this thing and especiallie the lawe of Constantius who without doubt was fellowe in the empire with Iulianus peraduenture his naughtines for it is certeine that Iulian attributed much to such follies was touched in those lawes wherin it is thus decréed If anie magician shall repaire to another mans house let him be burned he that brought him thither let him be banished into the ylands let them be striken with the sword let them be cast vnto the wild beasts they being such as will disturbe mankind In the decrées caus 26. quest 5. beginning Nihil aliud agitur among the Extrauagants there is a speciall title of sorcerers so manie lawes should neuer haue béene made vnlesse it had béene knowen for certeintie that magicians and witches are able to doo somewhat And Dauid in the 58. psalme verse 5.
that blast the nature of the holie Ghost but a signe thereof that he would from without come into their soules and that by the worke of Christ Againe in taking of that word for a blast we might saie that God breathed that is he made man himselfe to breath that is after the bodie was made he gaue him the power of breathing so as he being aliue and indued with a soule might be séene and beheld The second interpretation is that that blast is taken for the soule which is giuen vnto vs by God And they saie that Nischmath doth chéefelie signifie that which is diuine and reasonable that doth God giue vnto vs. And where it is added Man was made a liuing soule Nephesch signifieth a sensible life whereof other liuing creatures be partakers Which thing plainelie declareth vnto vs that a soule reasonable is giuen vnto vs from aboue by God FroÌ„ whence commeth a reasonable soule and hath with it all power that other inferiour creatures haue Hence is excluded a double error For we must not thinke that the soule is of the substance of God Concerning the substance of the soule for that is vnuariable and immutable but the soule may become miserable and it appeareth to be most inconstant Furthermore it is no blast of the nature and substance of the dieng man neither must it on the other side be accounted of the same qualitie and nature that the liues be of other liuing creatures bicause it is most certeine that in them is no vnderstanding séeing in the 32. psalme it is said of the horsse and of the mule that in them there is no vnderstanding And other beasts might thinke themselues wrongfullie subdued vnto men if they had bin indued with the same kind of soule But this opinion néedeth not to be confuted by manie reasons séeing the best philosophers were displeased therewith ¶ Looke the propositions out of the second chapter of Genesis in the end of this booke Whether all soules were created at once 23 But héere they doubt whether all the soules of men were created by God at the beginning or else be made by him and planted in bodies according as the course of nature séemeth to require There be some haue thought that they were all created at the beginning among whome also there were manie of the Iewes And among vs Origin hath bin reckoned of that opinion And it séemes that they were vpon this cause mooued héerevnto for that a reasonable soule being incorruptible is not procreated of anie matter And therefore they saie that the same being by God made of nothing it might not be trulie said of him that he rested the seauenth daie from all his worke as touching creation But this opinion hath no likelihood of truth For séeing the soule is the liuelie part and fourme of the bodie it séemeth that the bringing foorth of them should be both ioined togither Moreouer I would demand whether they be idle or doo something all the while that they haue their being before the bodie If thou saie that they be idle it séemeth absurd that things should be so long time destitute of their working But if so be they doo something that must of necessitie be either good or euill But the scripture in the ninth to the Romanes Rom. 9 11. pronounceth plainelie of Iacob and Esau that before they had done either good or euill But that which mooueth more is the historie of the creation which sheweth vnto vs that the soule was made euen when the bodie was wrought out of the earth For séeing there is no mention made thereof before and that the production of so notable a thing should not haue bin kept in silence it remaineth to be vnderstood that it was made by God euen then when we reade that it was inspired or blowne in by him But that reason which concerneth the ceasing from all his labour we may easilie answere if we saie that now also God doth worke either through the continuall gouernement of things or else bicause whatsoeuer things he maketh are referred to the former and be of the same kind that those be which were made in the first sixe daies But why the bodie was first made before the soule this reason is shewed by the fathers bicause if the soule should haue bin brought in before the bodie it might haue bin idle being without the organe and instrument of his actions But this order hath God obserued The order of gods creation that alwaies should be first prepared those things wherein the more excellent things should abide and then to bring in the things themselues that they might worke so soone as euer they be made First the earth was discouered from the waters then the Sun and the Moone were made which should exercise their power and strength vpon the earth and plants thereof All beasts were first made and all the springs and plants of the earth and last of all man which should be set ouer all these things that immediatelie after he was created he might haue somewhat to doo In like manner now the bodie is first and then followeth the soule least it should be idle By which purpose of God we are taught that amoÌ„g vs this also may be done that the more anie men doo excell the more readie matter of working is ministred vnto them least they should liue idlie 24 Moreouer man saith Aben-ezra being made a liuing soule he straitwaie mooued himselfe the first man was not created to be weake as yoong children be which cannot guide themselues and walke but after the manner of other liuing creatures which walke immediatelie after they be brought foorth or else he shewed the tokens of the presence of the soule moouing I meane and sense Of moouing and sense For these two as Aristotle affirmeth séemed to all the ancient philosophers to be the chéefe effects of the soule Of this blast of God vpon the dust or claie whereof the bodie of man was compact we perceiuing the same to be so mightie as it quickned forthwith gaue strength to all members there is gathered a good argument for the easines of our resurrection An argument of the easâ—nes of the resurrection Ezec. 37 5. For if his spirit shall blowe againe vpon the ashes of the dead they shall most easilie put on againe their soules as it is described in the 37. chapter of Ezechiel where he sheweth that by the breath of the spirit of God those bones were quickened which last renewing of bodies shall so far excell this as Paule calleth this first man Of the earth earthie and the latter he calleth both spirituall and heauenlie In Gen. 9 verse 4. How the bloud is the soule 25 But let vs sée how it is true that is auouched in the ninth of Genesis that the bloud is the soule This the Manicheis cannot abide in the old testament and reprooue it as a lie for they vtterlie renounce the old bookes
therefore haue perished with others and by that meanes sorrowe had béene added vnto a righteous father which thing God would not if they had béene good and they also had begotten others and perhaps Noah himselfe others also all which if God would haue saued for Noahs sake the arke should haue béen made much bigger Whereby Noah had béene more wearied in the building of it than reason would This séemeth to be a pleasant deuise But as I haue said before it shall appeare sufficientlie to a christian man that either these were not the first among his children or else that children were denied him so long as it pleased the Lord. Neither is it méet to cleaue vnto fables so curiouslie inuented But what shall we saie as concerning the great number of yéeres wherein they are said to haue liued Shall we be so hardie to affirme that those were not so long as these yéeres of ours but that they were of two or thrée moneths long And Plinie séemeth to report in the 7. booke of his naturall historie that diuers countries made their computation of yéeres otherwise than we doo and that thereby it came to passe that some may séeme to haue liued longer than the common course This cannot possiblie be prooued by this argument bicause in the description of the arke and of the floud Gen. 7 12. there is mention made of the second and tenth moneth wherefore the same maner of yéeres was then that are now Gen. 8 5. An addition Yea and by the whole course of the historie ye may plainelie perceiue that the full number of daies and moneths which we vse in our age or at the least wise within verie few more or lesse were compleated at that time For in the 17. daie of the second moneth at what time as the fountaines of the great deepe did breake vp Noah entered into the arke The 17. daie of the second moneth the arke rested vpon the tops of Armenia In the first daie of the tenth moneth the tops of the mountaines were seene then followed fortie daies before Noah opened the windowe of the arke wherevnto adde 14. daies more which were spent in sending foorth of the dooue Which being in all 54. daies or two moneths make vp the ful number of twelue moneths the very same reckoning which we at this daie obserue So we haue it sufficientlie prooued that seeing as well the yeres as moneths of old time were the verie same that ours be or little differing the time of their life in those daies was no les than the scriptures declare ¶ Looke the propositions out of the fourth chapter of Gen. at the end of this booke Of Giants In Iud. 1. verse 10. 32 Now séeing that in the holie scriptures there is mention made oftentimes of giants Looke in Gen. 6 4. it shall not be vnprofitable if we speake somewhat of them First we must vnderstand By how manie names the giants are called in the holie scriptures What signifieth Hanak that they be called by diuers names in the scriptures as Rephaim Nephilim Emim and Hanakim The Hebrue verbe Hanak is to inuiron or compasse about and from thence is deriued the nowne Hanak and in the plurall number it is both the masculine and feminine gender and signifieth a chaine and it is transferred vnto notable famous men as if thou shouldest saie Knight and chainemen But they were called Emim by reason of a terror which they brought vpon others with their looke They were called Zamzumim of wickednes for they hauing confidence in their owne power and strength contemned both lawes iustice and honestie and they alwaies wrought wickednesse For doubtles the hebrue word Zimma signifieth wickednes or mischéefe Also they were named Rephaim bicause men méeting with them became in a maner astonished for that word otherwhile signifieth dead men Finallie they be called Nephilim as one may say oppressors of the verbe Naphal which is To fall or to rush vpon bicause they did violentlie run vpon all men Som thought that they were sometime called Gibborim but bicause we vse to refer that word vnto power and Gibborim are properlie called strong men therfore I would not put it among these Further What time giants began to be Augustine if thou wilt demand when giants began to be to follow the opinion of Augustine in the 16. booke De ciuitate Dei the 23. chapter we may saie that they were before the floud Wherein we beléeue him bicause he prooueth it by the testimonie of the holie scriptures for we haue it in the sixt of Genesis Gen. 6 4. that in those daies there were giants vpon the earth whose stocke although it were preserued after the floud yet he thinketh that it was not in anie great number 33 Besides this Whether giants were begotten by men there is a doubt as touching procreation and parents For some thinke that they were not begotten of men but that angels or spirits were their parents and this they saie is speciallie confirmed by that which is written in the booke of Genesis Gen. 6 1. The sonnes of God seeing the daughters of men that they were faire tooke them to wiues and of them were borne most mightie men or giants Of this fall of angels bicause they were conuersant with women manie of the ancient fathers are of one mind and among the rest Lactantius in the second booke the 15. chapter Lactantius For as we read there he thought that God feared least that sathan to whom he had granted dominion of the world would vtterlie haue destroied mankind and therefore he gaue vnto mankind angels for tutors by whose industrie and care they might be defended But they being as well prouoked by the craft of sathan as allured by the beautie of faire women cōmitted vncleannes with them wherefore he saith that both they were cast from their dignitie and were made souldiers of the diuell This indéed did Lactantius thinke yet he said not that through those méetings of the angels with women were borne giants but earthlie Daemons or spirits which walke about the earth to our great harme Eusebius Caesariensis Eusebius Caesariensis in his fift booke De praeparatione euangelica is in a maner of the same opinion For he saith also that the angels which fell begat of women whom they lewdlie loued those Daemons or spirits which afterward in sundrie wise brought great troubles to the world And to the verie same sort he referreth all those which the poets and historiographers taught to be gods whose battels contentions lusts sundrie and great tumults they haue mentioned either in verse or in prose Augustine But Augustine De ciuitate Dei the 15. booke and 23. chapter thinketh not that the opinion of these ancient fathers can be gathered out of that place of Genesis For he saith that such as be there called The sonnes of God were verie men Men of the stocke of Seth were
accused all mankind Rom. 3 10. as he said There is none iust there is none that vnderstandeth or seeketh after God all haue declined and are altogither become vnprofitable there is none that dooth good no not one c. All which things sufficientlie declare the deprauation of mans nature By these testimonies of the scriptures it sufficientlie appéereth as I thinke that there is originall sin 4 Next of all I should confute the arguments of the aduersaries but first I thought it good to shew the definition of originall sinne for the same being diligentlie weighed knowen manie things will in the meane time be knowen which serue for the confutation of their reasons First we will recite the opinions of other men then we will declare what we thinke thereof The Pelagians affirmed The Pelagians saie that the sin of Adam is spred by imitation onelie that the sinne of Adam did not spread abroad into the posteritie but by imitation onelie Against these Augustine disputed vehementlie and by manie arguments shewed that orginall sinne is not onelie by the imitation of Adams sinne For if Paule would haue said From Adam flowed sinne and from the diuell came the example of sinning Rom. 5 12. Iohn 8 41. and 44. that the first sin had bin spred abroad after this maner he would not haue said that it came from Adam but rather from the diuell for he was the first that gaue a forme and example of sinning Wherefore Christ in the Gospell of Iohn said that the Iewes which boasted that they came of their father Abraham were rather the sonnes of the diuell bicause they did his works For the diuell was a manqueller euen from the beginning and they sought to kill him which had not deserued euill at their hands And herewithall Augustine citeth that which is in the second chapter of the booke of Wisedome verse 24. that Through the enuie of the diuell sinne entred into the world and that they which are of his part doo imitate him Vnto which saieng neuertheles I doo not attribute much partlie bicause that booke is not of the canonicall scriptures and partlie bicause in the Gréeke text there is some ambiguitie For this verbe Doo imitate is not there written but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Haue experience of that death Howbeit the reason is firme that of the diuell came the first example of sinning Further this opinion is hereby confuted in that Paule maketh an Antithesis betwéen Christ and Adam Rom. 5 18. But the righteousnes of Christ is not onelie set foorth vnto vs to be imitated We must not onelie imitate Christs righteousnes but must bee changed in mind but also that they which beléeue in him should bée changed in mind corrected in spirit and amended in all their strength Wherefore on the other side it is required by the nature of contraries that besides the ill example which Adam gaue vnto his posteritie he hath also infected their nature and as Augustine writeth in his booke De peccatorum meritis remissione hath with a certeine corruption depraued Thirdlie this also maketh against the Pelagians that euen the verie infants doo die For as Paule saith vnto the Romans the sixt chapter verse 23. The reward of sinne is death but the gift of God is eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord. And in the 15. chapter of the first epistle to the Corinthians The weapons saith he of death is sinne Lastlie verse 56. the baptisme which is giuen to yoong children cannot blot out of them the sinne of imitation Wherefore we ought of necessitie to affirme some other kind of sinne to be in them The sinne of imitation cannot be wiped out by baptisme vnlesse we will that they be baptised in vaine 5 Another opinion was that which the Maister of the sentences citeth in the 2. booke the 33. distinction of them which thought that originall sinne is onelie a guilt or trespasse or bond wherevnto we are tied by the sinne of Adam So they acknowledge not that there is trulie in verie déed anie fault or sinne in those which are borne but onelie a certeine offense and obligation the which might cause them to die be condemned for the sinne of Adam This opinion Pighius séemeth in a maner to haue reuiued for he denieth that originall sinne is sinne indéed bicause it is neither a transgressing of the lawe nor yet voluntarie and therefore he affirmed the same to be nothing else Pighius maketh originall sinne rather a bond than a sinne Death he saith coms of the originals of nature but the sinne of Adam for the which we that be his posteritie are made subiect vnto damnation and death are become exiles from the kingdome of heauen But as for death and afflictions of this life and lusts of the flesh and other such like affections he saith that they come of the well-springs of nature All which things so far is he from calling sinnes as he pronounceth them to be the works of God for he saith that GOD is the author of nature and that these things followe the humors and temperature of the bodie and that which we sée happeneth in brute beasts happeneth also in men as touching the flesh and grosser powers of the mind For they doo desire such things as are preseruatiue pleasant and profitable whether they be agréeable to reason or against it to auoid those things that be contrarie Wherefore he affirmed originall sinne to be the onelie transgression of Adam in the danger of which one transgression he would haue vs all to be borne not for anie sinne or fault or corruption that we haue in our selues He beleeueth that this sinne shall be punished without sensible paine And he saith moreouer that those which die onlie in the danger of that sinne of Adam shall not be afflicted in an other life with sensible paine for he imagineth although he dare not boldlie affirme it that they shall either in this world or else in some other pleasant place be happie with a certeine naturall blessednes wherein they shall liue praising of God and giuing of thanks although they be banished from the kingdome of heauen Of which discommoditie neuertheles as he dreameth they shall nothing complaine or be sorrowfull for it for this were to striue against the will of God which a man cannot doo without sinne But forsomuch as while they liued here they had no naughtie will it is not to be thought that they shall haue it in an other life And that they shall not be pressed with sensible paine it séemeth to himselfe Note two reasons of Pighius on the behalfe of infants that he verie well prooueth and that by two reasons first bicause they committed no euill nor yet contaminated themselues with anie naughtinesse secondlie bicause there is required in this life no repentance or contrition for originall sinne And for this feigned deuise he hath
in righteousnes and true holines And in the third chapter to the Colossians verse 10. Ye haue put on the new man which is renewed to the knowledge and image of him that created him And a little after he sheweth the properties of this image verse 12. Put ye on the bowels of mercies goodnes modestie meekenes gentlenes forbearing one another and forgiuing one another And in the eight chapter to the Romans Whom he before knew verse 30. he also predestinated to be made like vnto the image of his sonne All these things doo sufficientlie declare what maner of image of God the holie scriptures set foorth vnto vs in the creation and instauration of man neither did the fathers mislike of this opinion Irenaeus in his fift booke saith that by the infusion of the holie Ghost man is made spirituall euen in such sort as he was created by God And Tertullian against Marcion saith that that is the image of God which hath the selfe-same motions and senses with God and the reason which persuadeth vs herevnto is that man was therefore made at the beginning like vnto the image of God A reason why man was made to the image of God bicause he should be the gouernour of all things created as if he had béene a certeine deputie of God And no man can doubt but that God will haue his creatures to be well gouerned for he continuallie biddeth vs that we should not abuse them And we are bound by a lawe to ascribe vnto God all those things whereby we are holpen as from whom all things doo flowe But a good vse and right administration of things cannot appéere vnles we be furnished with those conditions which we haue said doo belong to the image of God And whereas Augustine assigned the image of God to be in the vnderstanding memorie and will we saie he did it to the intent he might set foorth vnto vs some forme or example of the diuine persons how one of them doo respect another But he must not be so vnderstood Augustine defended The powers of the mind not despoiled of vertues be the image of God By the lawe of nature we are bound to haue originall righteousnes as though he would make these faculties of the mind to be the image of God they being naked and despoiled of those vertues which we haue declared Wherefore we haue a lawe giuen vnto vs either by the institution or by the restitution of man which Paule commandeth and by this bond we are bound to haue the originall righteousnes which we haue lost We haue also the lawe of nature and to liue agréeable vnto it as Cicero saith in his third booke De finibus is the principall and last end of mans estate and this lawe dependeth of that other which we before spake of For of no other thing dooth it come that we in cogitations haue our mind Rom. 2 15. which accuse and defend one another but that they are taken from the woorthines of nature as it was first instituted by God For whatsoeuer either the philosophers or lawe-giuers haue commanded as touching the duties of mans life The precepts of mans life proceed from the forme of a most vpright nature the same dooth wholie depend of the fountaines of our creation For those precepts cannot come out of a corrupt nature out of selfe-loue and out of malice whereof it coms that we are prone vnto euils but they come from that kind of most vpright nature which they feigne to be doone by the worthines of man and which we knowe out of the holie scriptures to be instituted by God Rom. 7 23. By this cōmandement Thou shalt not lust the want of originall iustice is condemned and commanded to be renewed by vs. And herevnto as some will haue it dooth apperteine that lawe of the mind which the lawe of the members dooth resist There is also a third lawe which God would haue to be put in writing namelie Thou shalt not lust which commandement although our aduersaries doo wrest vnto actuall sinnes yet we haue shewed that the same belongeth also vnto originall sin and that God by his commandement would haue all kind of naughtie concupiscence to be vtterlie cut off from men 15 Now therefore we haue lawes which so long as they be extant shall perpetuallie bind vs and make vs debtors to performe that righteousnes which they require Infants feele not the lawe but sinne lieth asleepe in them Rom. 7 9. True indéed it is that infants féele not those lawes and therefore sinne lieth asléepe in them as Augustine saith in his second booke De peccatorum meritis remissione following that which Paule saith I sometimes liued without a lawe not that there was at anie time no lawe prescribed vnto Paule but bicause in his childhood he felt not the same by reason of yoong age Wherfore Paule saith that Sinne was dead which Augustine interpreteth was on sleepe but when the commandement was come that is when the lawe began to be knowne of me sinne did reuiue No doubt but it was in him before sinne but when he felt it not it séemed dead Now it appéereth how those things with we haue spoke agrée with the holie scriptures An obiection of Pighius But Pighius vrgeth yet further that these doo perteine nothing vnto infants for that a lawe ought not to be made as touching those things which cannot be auoided But when he speaketh thus he followeth not the sense of the holie scriptures for theyr sufficientlie teach that those things which be commanded in the lawe cannot be perfectlie fulfilled when neuerthelesse they be straitlie commanded A lawe may be made of such things as cannot be fulfilled Rom. 8 ◠Paule saith in the epistle to the Romans that Looke what was vnpossible to the lawe forasmuch as it was made weake by the flesh God sending his onlie sonne c. By these words it appéereth most plainelie that the lawe as it is commanded cannot be performed for if it could we should be iustified by works Neither had it béene néedfull that Christ should suffer death for vs. Vtilities of the lawe There be also other offices of the lawe for which it is written For assuredlie the same is profitable to direct the actions of godlie men but most profitable of all to discouer sinne Rom. 3 20. Rom. 7 7 Rom. 5 20. 1. Cor. 15 verse 56. Gal. 3 24. for By the lawe saith Paule commeth the knowledge of sinne Againe I had not knowne lust vnlesse the lawe had said vnto me Thou shalt not lust Besides by the lawe sinne is also increased and dooth burthen vs the more and dooth the more gréeuouslie presse vs for The lawe entered in that sinne might abound And to the Corinthians The power of sinne is the lawe All these things tend to this end that man as by a schoolemaister should be brought vnto Christ and should craue his helpe
and wisedome of the flesh is enimitie against God and vnder this sentence he comprehendeth all the affections of men not yet regenerate But I maruell at the impudencie of Pighius who to wind himselfe out by some meanes or other saith that this place must be vnderstood as touching the sense of the letter which he affirmeth to be against God and cannot be subdued vnto him For as well that which goeth before as that which followeth dooth manifestlie reprooue him verse 8 9. for Paule foorthwith addeth the difference betwéene men that be in the flesh and those which be in the spirit Wherefore it appéereth sufficientlie that he treateth not of the diuersitie of the sense of the scripture but of the diuersitie of men themselues And the next words before that sentence are verse 3. That which was vnpossible to the lawe inasmuch as it was weake bicause of the flesh God sending his owne sonne in the similitude of sinfull flesh by sinne condemned sinne in the flesh that the righteousnes of the lawe might be fulfilled in vs. These words also doo testifie that Paule spake of vs not of the spirit or the letter of the scriptures For in vs is the infirmitie whereby the lawe is weakened that it could not bring vs to saluation and by Christ the rightousnes of the lawe beginneth to be fulfilled in vs. 18 Neither must we harken vnto them which both in this place in manie other By the flesh is not ment the grosser part of the mind Gala. 5 19. will that by flesh should be vnderstood the grosser parts of the mind For when Paule to the Galathians reckoneth vp the works of the flesh he putteth in that number not onelie adulteries fornications and wantonesse but also idolatrie which no man can denie but that it dooth apperteine to the mind not vnto the flesh And Christ when he saith That which is borne of the flesh Iohn 3 6. is flesh and that which is borne of the spirit is spirit exhorteth to regeneration which in verie déed apperteineth not onelie to the substance of the bodie or grosser parts of the mind but especiallie also vnto the will and mind And when he said vnto Peter Matt. 16 17. Blessed art thou Simon the sonne of Iona for flesh bloud hath not reuealed it vnto thee he ment that he had not learned those things by naturall knowledge but by the spirit of God For vnder the name of flesh he comprehendeth those things which apperteineth to the mind and reason But yet we saie not as Pighius fondlie cauilleth that in the nobler part of the mind there is nothing but flesh for we knowe although Pighius had not told vs that the soule is a spirit which neuertheles in the scriptures is called flesh The soule in the scriptures is called flesh before it be regenerated bicause whereas it ought to make the flesh that is to say the grosser part of it self spirituall and ought to reduce the same to the obedience of a mind instructed by the word of God it will rather bend vnto the pleasures thereof and so is made carnall But they obiect against vs that saeing vnto the Galathians Gal. 5 17. The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh as though this may not be if in the minds of men we leaue nothing that is sound But we will easilie answer to this obiection for first those words are pronounced by Paule as touching beléeuers which be alredie regenerated which thing those words that followe doo sufficientlie declare That ye doo not those things which yee would By which words he declareth that they obteined a right will by the spirit of Christ which neuertheles they could not accomplish by reason of the continual conflicts of the mind and their great infirmities And therefore the apostle ment no other thing in that place than that whatsoeuer is in vs not perfectlie regenerated all that dooth striue against the spirit of God In the minds of men not yet regenerate be the lawes of nature and illumination of Gods spirit Nor doo we denie but that some such conflict is otherwhile in men which be not yet regenerated not that their mind is not carnall and prone vnto naughtines but bicause the lawes of nature are as yet ingrauen therein and that also there is some illumination of Gods spirit in the same although it be not such as either can iustifie or bring in anie change to saluation 19 Moreouer that reason is corrupted in vs Paules words doo sufficientlie declare wherein he exhorteth To put on the new man Col. 3 10. which must be continuallie renewed in vs. Séeing hée willeth that man be so wholie changed and that man consisteth not only of the bodie affections of the flesh but also and that much more of the mind will and reason it is necessarilie gathered that these things were also corrupted in him It behoueth things to be renewed to haue beene first corrupted For otherwise what néed haue they to be renewed And it maketh no great matter if thou saie that these things must be vnderstood of such as be come to ripe yéeres who of their owne choise and voluntarie sinnes haue corrupted these things in themselues For I will aske wherefore all in generall which be not regenerated did so contaminate themselues as there was not one innocent to be found among them all Trulie there can be nothing else answered to this question but that the verie fountaines were corrupted and defiled in them euen from the beginning Augustine teacheth also that we be so far foorth onelie regenerated in how much we are become like vnto Christ for in that we be vnlike vnto him therein we are not borne anew but reteine still the old man in vs. Wherefore let vs sée whether from the beginning we haue a mind will and reason like vnto Christ for if they be found vnlike we must néeds conclude that they be corrupt and doo apperteine vnto the old man as touching the corruption of the baser parts of the mind dailie experience sufficientlie teacheth vs. Againe The baser parts of the mind are sprinkled among the members this propertie belongeth vnto the baser parts of the mind that they be sprinkeled abroad in the members doo spred themselues abroad ouer all the parts of the flesh which cannot be agréeable vnto the mind and reasonable part being things spirituall and inuisible That the bodie also and parts therof haue fallen from their dutie to become rebellious and repugnant to the mind Paule teacheth when he crieth out O vnhappie man that I am Rom. 7 24. Who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death And againe when he saith Ibidem 23. I feele another lawe in my members Finallie that the whole man how much soeuer he be is corrupted the commandement of Christ dooth sufficientlie prooue Matt. 16 24. wherein he biddeth vs to denie
a sort we may answer The ioining of the soule with the corrupt bodie is no losse to the elect The soule â—… infected by the bodie The bodie soule are repaired by faith Why the innocent soule is ioined with a corrupt bodie The coniunction of the soule with the corrupt bodie maketh nothing to the destruction of the chosen for in Christ as well the bodie as the soule is renewed And as the soule is infected by the bodie so by the faith of Christ which is in the soule the same togither with the bodie is repaired And whereas the innocent soule which hath doone nothing either good or euill is ioined with a bodie corrupted this the order of nature dooth require vnles the bodie should be left without life and to be forsaken as destitute of all mankind But if we shall stand in disputation with God there will be no measure nor end Innumerable soules would complaine bicause they were created not predestinated to saluation who neuertheles deserued not the same A great manie would complaine that they haue béene borne of wicked infidels and barbarous parents and that they died in their tender age by meanes whereof they could not come by the knowledge and a thousand complaints more they might imagin And as concerning procreation The goodnes of procreation must bee considered by the proper effect that is man we saie that it is commendable when it consisteth of lawfull matrimonie therein must be considered man that is begotten that is as the Schoole-men terme it the effect proper and of it selfe But man is the good creature of God vice and corruption is added by accidentall meanes And this euill hath a remedie which thing happeneth not in leprosie and other incurable diseases Also we doo grant that man is made to the end he should attaine vnto eternall felicitie And wheras it is obiected that he is reuoked from this end through the corruption of the bodie wée contrariwise doo saie The elect by meanes of their corruption are inuited vnto Christ that he by the verie same meanes is inuited vnto Christ Lastlie we grant that it may séeme to be a thing vnwoorthie that the innocent soule should be placed in hell séeing no hope of redemption is there to be looked for but being set in a bodie although it be a corrupt bodie yet it may obteine saluation and redemption 30 Now must the reasons be brought A proofe that originall sinne is spred by generation and seed which firmelie and soundlie prooue that originall corruption is spred in men by séed and generation and this we will shew by the holie scriptures bicause that manie doo repugne it openlie and thinke that all the matter is feined First Paule saith Rom. 5 12. that Sinne by one man came into the world therefore we must sée how men doo depend of Adam in such sort By generation we depend of Adam as they can be partakers of his sinne But other waie can there be none found than by meanes of séed and generation Moreouer when the apostle saith vnto the Ephesians Ephe. 2 3. that We by nature are the children of wrath and nature as the naturall philosophers affirme is the originall of motion we must haue recourse vnto séed and generation for they are the foundation of our motion and beginning But Dauid dooth more euidentlie shew this Psal 51 7. when he saith Behold how I am conceiued in wickednes and in sinne my mother hath conceiued mee in which words hée plainlie teacheth that this sinne is deriued by generation but most manifest of all is that saieng of Iob Iob. 14 4. Who can make that cleane which is borne of vncleane seed By this place the infected séed of our forefathers is prooued to be vncleane though Pighius denie it neuer so much How this sinne is taken awaie 31 But now on the contrarie part let vs examine by what meanes this sin is taken awaie Euen as by one man it was brought in euen so by one man it is remooued awaie and euen as sinne is from Adam spred ouer all through séed and generation so on the other side in that multitude which apperteine vnto Christ there are some things which may haue the respect of séed as be election predestination grace the spirit the word of God and baptisme These two latter instruments God vseth for to regenerate such as be his But if anie demand Whether the outward word or visible signe of baptisme be altogither necessarie In men of ripe age the inward word is necessarilie required and that outward word is the ordinarie instrument whereby they be called We answer that indéed the inward word whereby men be mooued vnto Christ and reformed is wholie required if we speake of such as be of perfect age but in yoong infants neither the inward word nor yet the outward hath anie place But vndoubtedlie the outward word is the ordinarie instrument whereby God dooth call them of ripe yéeres vnto saluation although in some he vseth onelie the inward word after an extraordinarie sort For so he called Abraham out of his owne natiue countrie and instructed Adam immediatelie as the Schoole-diuines terme it without anie outward ministerie Baptisme must not be contemned if it may be had The sacrament also of baptisme must not for anie cause be contemned for they which despise that when they may atteine vnto it shall not obteine regeneration But if there be no opportunitie to come vnto it it shall be no danger vnto the godlie man which is conuerted vnto Christ although he be not baptised And vpon this occasion among the fathers Baptisme bloud and the spirit there was mention made of baptisme of bloud and of the spirit And Ambrose writing of the death of Valentinian the Emperour saith that he was not without the grace of baptisme séeing he burned in the desire thereof although he were not baptised 32 Howbeit if I should be asked concerning the infants of Christians Of the infants of christians which die without baptisme which depart without this sacrament mine answer should be that we must haue a good hope of them sticke fast vnto the word of God namelie to the couenant made with Abraham wherein God promiseth himselfe not onelie that he would be a God vnto him but also vnto his séed Which promise séeing it is not so generall as it comprehendeth all therefore I dare not promise certeine saluation particularlie vnto anie that departeth hence For there be some children of the saints which belong not vnto predestination Some of the children of the saints belong not to predestination such we read to be Esau Ismael and others more whose saluation is not hindered in respect that they were not baptised But yet whilest we liue here the relikes of this sinne remaine euen in them that be regenerate for originall sinne is not vtterlie rid awaie no not by regeneration indéed the guiltines is
time whether of them did first sinne Adam or Eue but his meaning was to shew the root A place in the booke of Wisd 2 24. is discussed that saith sinne came first by the diuell out of which sinne was spred in the world And so is that likewise answered which might be obiected out of the booke of wisdome that Through the enuie of the diuell sinne came into the world Also Iohn writeth that The diuell did sinne from the beginning For here is not treated of the imitation of the sin of another or of the persuasion to sinning otherwise it is true that the first example of sin came from the diuell and he was the verie persuaded author of transgressions But this is now the scope of the apostle to teach out of what thing as from the begining sin was conueied by propagation to mankind And that this is the meaning of the apostle it may be prooued by that Antithesis or contrarie comparison which he maketh betwéene Christ the first Adam For the Lord did not restore vs or make vs iust onelie by laieng an example before vs of following him or by shewing himselfe to be a most faithfull admonisher but by altogither changing vs making vs new by the spirit and grace Whervpon Augustine doth séeme to haue rightlie expressed the discommoditie brought by Adam when he saith that He brought mankind into a consumption Adam by a certeine contagion infected vs all An argument of the Pelagians by which word he signifieth that he by a certeine contagion infected vs all 47 But against this doctrine the Pelagians are woont to vse this argument That which hath no being cannot hurt But originall sinne if anie be is alreadie wiped awaie by faith in Christ and by baptisme and doth not remaine Therefore it cannot hurt the children which are baptised But that which these men take as granted namelie that originall sinne is abolished in the beléeuers and in them which be baptised that is not perfectlie true For in euerie sin Two things to be considered of in euerie sin Wherein originall sin differeth from actuall sinnes two things must be weighed the action or lewd affection which is as it were the matter offense or bond vnto punishment which they call guiltinesse But originall sinne herein differeth from those sinnes which they call actuall bicause in them the matter continueth not still for so soone as one hath committed either adulterie or hath spoken blasphemie the thing being doone those actions doo foorthwith cease and are no more extant onelie the offense against God and the guiltinesse remaineth Wherefore séeing by faith and repentance the bond vnto punishment or the offense against God is remitted we may easilie grant that the whole sinne is abolished The matter of originall sin passeth not awaie But in originall sinne the consideration is otherwise bicause the matter thereof passeth not awaie for euerie one of vs hath experience in himselfe that the corruption of nature remaineth séeing as yet also we run headlong continuallie into sinne but vnto diuine things we be vnapt both in bodie and in mind which sinnes notwithstanding are not imputed vnto the faithfull The guiltinesse of originall sinne is forgiuen in baptisme For the guiltines and offense against God is forgiuen in baptisme through faith in Christ although the matter of sinne be still remaining which matter though it be broken and made of slender force in the godlie yet we shall not atteine to the perfect abolishing of the same vntill such time as we die And séeing men which be regenerate doo procreate children not in respect that they be regenerate but by nature and flesh Why the children of the regenerate are borne with originall sinne therof it coms to passe that the children also of beléeuers are borne subiect vnto originall sinne For into them is powred the same defiled and corrupt nature that is in the parents when as yet on the other side forgiuenes or imputation which are apprehended by faith cannot be powred into them For the explicating of this matter Two similitudes Augustine vseth two similitudes One is of the graines of corne which although they be sowne into the ground being purged of their small leaues chaffe strawe eares yet they growe vp againe with all those things which hereof commeth to passe bicause that clensing commeth not vnto those graines by nature but by the art and industrie of men and forsomuch as the corne springeth not of these principles of art and industrie but of nature it must néeds be that when they are sproong vp they follow the order of their owne nature and not of humane industrie The other similitude is of a man circumcised who neuerthelesse begetteth a child with his foreskinne which commeth to passe bicause circumcision was not in the father by nature but by violence vsed outwardlie and séeing that children are not begotten by that outward power but by the inward strength of nature it is of necessitie that when they are begotten they doo followe the order of nature and therefore we bring foorth no other children but such as we our selues are Séeing then we haue in vs the infection of originall sinne they cannot be without the same but we cannot impart vnto our children the remission and forgiuenes of that sinne for that must be hoped for at the hand of God onelie The verie same thing we sée happeneth in sciences and vertues The sciences which be in parents are not deriued vnto their children which although they be in the parents yet they are not deriued vnto their issue whereby it appéereth sufficientlie wherein the Pelagians were deceiued Neither can anie man iustlie accuse vs for these things as though we plucke anie thing awaie either from faith or baptisme What is to be attributed vnto baptisme For vnto baptisme we grant plentifullie that it sealeth vnto vs the remission of the guiltines and of the offense and also grace and the holie Ghost and ingraffing into Christ and that it sealeth vnto vs the right to eternall life Yet it followeth not thereof that by it is abolished the corruption of nature or the continuall nourishment of sinne Wherefore Paule rightlie saith that By hope we are saued Rom. 8 24. But it is a great maruell how the Pelagians can denie that there is originall sinne in infants séeing they perceiue them to die euerie daie For the scripture manifestlie teacheth that The reward of sinne is death and the sting of death is sinne Sinne and death are linked one with another Therefore whom so euer thou shalt seclude from sinne him also thou must of necessitie seclude from death for by the testimonie of the scripture these are compared together as the cause and the effect In Christ was onelie death without sinne But here we must except Christ onelie who notwithstanding he knew not sinne yet for our sakes he died but death had no dominion ouer
which they appoint that applie themselues to ciuill works for oftentimes things doo farre otherwise happen than they did euer imagine could be And hereof it cometh to passe that Ethnike men are woont verie often to be troubled Pompeie Cato and Cicero thought to themselues that they had intended excellent counsell but when the same was come to naught there remained nothing but desperation vnto the authors for they being disappointed of their purposes did attribute all vnto fortune and chance Ier. 10 23. But Ieremie declareth that the successe and euent of things is in the hands of God The successe of things is gouerned by the will of God not by our will The waie of man saith he is not in his owne power neither lieth it in man to direct his owne steps Which place the Hebrues expound of Nabuchadnezar who they saie went foorth of his house not against the Iewes but to make warre vpon the Ammonits as we reade in the 21. chapter of Ezechiel verse 20. but when he came into a waie that had two turnings he began to deliberate and to take counsell of the entrails of beasts of idols and of lots by the brightnesse of a sword and hauing aduertisement he set vpon Iurie and leauing the Ammonites he besieged Ierusalem These two things are not hidden vnto the godlie namelie that God is the authour of counsell God is the author of counsels and giueth successe as he will and giueth such a successe to things as he will And therefore they determine nothing with themselues but they adde this condition If God will which thing Iames warned vs to doo And Paule in his epistle to the Romanes saith The godlie determine alwaies with this condition if God will Iames. 4 15. Rom. 1 10. that He desireth to haue a prosperous iornie vnto them but yet by the will of God Wherefore if the thing happen otherwise than they looked for they are comforted in themselues bicause they knowe that God their most louing father better prouideth both for his owne kingdome and their saluation than they could haue prouided for themselues And they haue alwaies in their mouth that which Dauid sang Vnles the Lord build the house in vaine doo they labour which build it Psal 127 1. Therefore it is their care that they maie frame and applie their counsels vnto the word of God and the euent they commit vnto GOD and so they worke surelie on euerie part 4 But in those workes which be acceptable and gratefull vnto God In works acceptable vnto God strangers from Christ haue no freedome such men as are strangers from God haue no fréedome at all wherevpon came that saieng of Augustine in his Enchiridion that Man abusing his fréewill hath lost both himselfe and also the libertie of his will for when sinne gat the vpper hand in battell it brought man into bondage I know there be some which thus interpret this sentence of Augustine that Adam lost fréewill as touching grace and glorie wherewith he was adorned but not as touching nature Verelie I will not much labour here Nature indeed was left after sinne but yet vnperfect and wounded to denie that the reason and will which belong vnto nature were left vnto man after his fall but that the same nature is vnperfect and wounded they themselues cannot denie For this the Maister of the sentences also affirmeth in his second booke and 25. distinction for he saith that A man now after his fall is in such a case as he maie sinne and that it so fareth with him as he cannot but sinne And although Augustine and others did not so affirme A reason why men cannot chuse but sinne yet most sound reason might teach it vs for holie works depend vpon two principles namelie of knowledge and of appetite Concerning knowledge Paule saith The naturall man dooth not vnderstand those things which be of the spirit of God 1. Cor. 2 14 yea verelie no more he cannot for they be foolishnesse vnto him But now if we knowe not what is to be doone and what is pleasing vnto GOD by what meanes may we shew the same in our worke Moreouer in what sort our appetite and cogitations are toward those holie works it appéereth by the sixt chapter of Genesis My spirit saith God shall not striue in man for euer Gen 2. 3 5 bicause he is flesh And a little after God sawe that the malice of man was great and all the imagination of the thought of his hart was onlie vnto euill euerie daie verse 21. Touching our strength our owne creator must be best beleeued verse 12. And in the eight chapter The imagination of mans hart is euill euen from his infancie And those things dooth God himselfe speake and there is none to be beléeued better than him that made vs when he giueth a testimonie of his owne worke In the 18. chapter of Ieremie the people said We will followe our owne imaginations Which place Ierom expounding writeth thus Where is therfore the power of fréewill and the iudgement of mans owne will Without the grace of God we be bondmen Iohn 8 34. without the grace of God séeing it is a great offense vnto God for a man is followe his owne thoughts and to do the will of his wicked hart That we be subiect vnto seruitude Christ teacheth vs in Iohn saieng He that dooth sinne is the seruant of sinne Wherefore séeing we commit manie things and haue sinnes cleauing vnto vs from our mothers wombe we must of necessitie grant that we be seruants verse 36. Rom. 7 14. 18. 23. But then we shall be free indeed if the sonne shall set vs at libertie otherwise we serue in a most bitter bondage Whervpon Paule said that he was sold vnder sinne and so sold as in his flesh he confessed that there dwelt no good thing and that he did the things which he would not and which he hated and that he felt another lawe in his members resisting the lawe of the mind and leading him awaie captiue to the lawe of sinne And vnto the Galathians he saith that The flesh dooth striue against the spirit Gal. 5 18. and the spirit against the flesh so that we cannot doo what we would Which things being true touching so woorthie an apostle and touching holie men regenerated by Christ what shall be thought of the wicked which belong not vnto Christ And vnto him they cannot come vnlesse they be drawne Iohn 6 44. None can come vnto Christ vnlesse he be drawne for Christ saith None can come vnto me vnlesse my father shall drawe him He which would go before of his owne accord is not drawne as Augustine saith but is led If therefore we must be drawne vnto Christ in that we would not before the same is a most gréeuous sinne and therefore we will not bicause The wisedome of the flesh is enimitie against God Rom. 8
against him which is the author of the contumelies for then it were a lie The thing which is iust must iustlie be doone But thou saiest that he himselfe dooth lie thou must not become like vnto him If in those cases which I haue expressed reproch be not repressed at the least wise we shall declare by liuing well by the déeds themselues which in words we cannot that he hath made a lie Manie haue béene content to vse a generall reason namelie that the spirit will teach vs when iniurie is to be suffered and when not and that euen at the verie push we should take counsell The Ethniks would saie that we ought to followe wisedome and reason Howbeit I thought good to open these points somewhat more particularlie 6 Come we then vnto Dauid He vsed thrée reasons The reasons of Dauid weighed the which must onlie take place in those cases wherein iniurie and reproch ought to be suffered and not generallie for sometimes they are to be suffered The first reason was Hinder ye not the counsell of God God hath commanded him to curse me c. To this we saie that in that case the reason is good not that we should conclude generallie then there should be no wickednesse punished We would alwaies saie It is the counsell of God he will take it awaie when it shall séeme good vnto him The second reason is I abide greater things at the hand of my sonne and shall I not beare these things This is a good reason to comfort our selues in affliction and to make vs circumspect what we doo but generallie it is not of force If the magistrate saie I haue borne this by reason of the necessitie of the time therefore I can the easilier beare euilles he shall leaue wickednesse vnpunished The third reason also is not vniuersall God seeth this affliction and laieth vp good for me in store This in verie déed we ought to thinke if we be compelled to suffer contumelie yet are we not alwaies bound to suffer it These things haue we spoken concerning the reasons of Dauid Whether Dauid did well in bearing of the contumelies Now must we shew wherfore he dissembled whether he did well therein In my iudgement he did well and his purpose was allowed vnto the souldiers and nobilitie which he had with him He was busied about other matters he was scaping awaie he then thought vpon his sinne and imputed it to the reuenge which God had foreshewed by the prophet that he should suffer Doubtlesse he did not vtterlie pardon the offense but deferred the punishment All things haue their time It was now néedfull for him to repent he wept and lamented Another cause which might persuade him was herein least he should be suddenlie drawne to furie and ouer-much mooued with crueltie and it was then sufficient for him to kéepe within his bounds A third reason he sawe in spirit for he was a prophet that GOD would haue him euen at this instant to suffer this reproch Thus farre haue we spoken hereof 7 Now let vs consider In 1. Cor. 4. verse 5. after what sort Paule forbiddeth iudgement séeing we must verie oftentimes iudge while we be in this life For it behooueth that euerie man doo iudge and examine himselfe yea and others also when néed shall be to the intent they maâ—e be warned and amended Iudgement in the Church in the common-weale and in a houshold are necessarie The church pronounceth sentence of iudgement against those which are to be excommunicated There be also politicall or ciuill iudgements And in houshold affaires we choose vnto vs wiues maidens seruants And in the church there be chosen deacons curats bishops which kind of election cannot procéed without iudgement Wherefore we answer that iudgements are of two sorts Iudgements of two sorts either priuate or publike And those which be publike perteine either to policie or else vnto the church Ciuill iudgements are not taken awaie by the Gospell Ciuill and ecclesiasticall iudgements are not taken awaie but rather amended and corrected as hereafter we shall perceiue when the place serueth But ecclesiasticall iudgements cannot be remooued by mans authoritie For Christ when he spake of brotherlie correction gaue commandement thereof Matt. 18 15. Matth. 7 5. From whence priuate iudgements doo spring Augustine Priuate iudgements doo either spring of charitie and right consideration or else of ill affections which are enuie and pride as Augustine hath in his second booke De sermone Domini in monte while he intreated of those words which are read in Mathew Iudge ye not that ye be not iudged By which saieng of Christ the sentence of Paule must be measured And in these iudgements which we exercise by charitie We must â—ot rashlie â—udge of oâ—her mens faults we must take speciall héed that the sinnes which either we iudge or reprooue be throughlie knowne to vs that we doo not rashlie giue credit to rumors or slanders Further we must not iudge without compassion and pitie Awaie with triumphing mocking reproches The which shall best be doone if we remember that we our selues be men and prone by nature vnto those vices and not yet assured but that we maie at sometime fall into the verie same offenses Therefore Paule said vnto the Galathians Gala. 6 1. Considering thy selfe least thou also be tempted And Augustine in his booke of Confessions wrote Augustine that we should not onelie giue thanks vnto GOD for the sinnes that he hath forgiuen but also for those which by the assistance of God we haue not committed Ouer and besides in his 15. epistle to Ierom when he had lamented for the contentions which had happened betwéene him and Ruffinus he saith that he knew not what he himselfe would haue doone if the same things that were written against Ierom had béen written against him And moreouer in iudging there must neuer be so firme a determination as though he which is fallen can not be restored againe 8 And touching those things which ought to withdrawe vs from a light rash and hastie iudgement Chrysost Chrysostome dooth make mention First séeing our owne state is verie much vnknowne to our owne selues What things shuld reuoke vs from rash iudgement we ought to know that the state of other men is verie hardlie to be knowne Furthermore there be manie circumstances wherby mens actions are defined which we cannot alwaies perceiue although we haue set before our eies the thing which is doone so as it is not easie to giue iudgment of it Againe the verie things that we sée be otherwhiles so doubtfull as we maie vnderstand them as well in the good part as in the ill Then it is better to suspend our iudgement in a thing that is doubtfull To conclude he that iudgeth must be spirituall séeing in the epistle to the Corinthians it is written The spirituall man iudgeth all things 1. Cor. 2
that the sacraments as we haue often said haue the names of those things that they signifie And other toongs also both Latine Gréeke séeme to haue imitated this forme of speaking For the Latins call that Piaculum or Piacularem hostiam which is offered to turne awaie the wrath of God The same thing the Graecians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of making cleane and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And this is it which Paule sometimes calleth sinne a cursse This therefore is the meaning that Christ condemned sinne which was in our flesh by sinne that is by that oblation which was for sinne that is by his flesh which is now called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which after the Hebrue maner of speaking is the sacrifice for sinne But to condemne signifieth in this place to take away and to discharge those things which vse to followe them that are condemned And that we may the easilier vnderstand how Christ by his death condemned sinne we ought by faith to be assured that he hath obteined the holie spirit for vs by whom our sinnes be forgiuen by whom lusts which are the root of all sinnes be repressed in vs. In Rom. 4 verse 25. 18 But here ariseth a doubt by what means the apostle may séeme to seuer and plucke these things one from another namelie forgiuenesse of sinnes and iustification and on the other part the faith of the death from the faith of the resurrection when as it may séeme that by the saith of both parts I meane of the death and resurrection not onelie is giuen remission of sins but also iustification Augustine in his 16. booke against Fautus Faith is cheeflie carried vnto the resurrection of Christ séemeth to bring this interpretation that our faith is chéeflie directed vnto the resurrection of Christ That he died the Ethniks also grant but that he rose againe they vtterlie denie And therefore séeing faith is said to be the thing whereby we are iustified Paule would make mention of that thing wherin faith is most conuersant And for confirmation of his saieng he citeth a place out of the tenth chapter to the Romans verse 9. If with thy mouth thou confesse thy Lord Iesus Christ and beleeue in thy hart that he was raised from the dead thou shalt be saued By which words it appéereth that saluation and iustification are attributed vnto the faith of Christs resurrection But these things must not so be vnderstood as though our faith should not be directed euen vnto the death of the Lord. Indéed it is true Our faith is also carried euen to the Lords death that the Ethniks confesse that Christ hath béene slaine but they beléeue not the same to be doone for the sinnes of men but either for some fault of his owne or else by iniurie Whereas we assuredlie beléeue that he was crucified for the saluation and redemption of mankind So as our faith is exercised as well in the death of Christ as in his resurrection And that which he bringeth out of the tenth chapter to the Romans dooth make nothing against vs. In the faith of the resurrection is comprehended the faith of his death For who vnderstandeth not that in the faith of the resurrection of Christ is comprehended that faith also which we haue of his death and crosse Wherefore there remaine two other interpretations verie likelie to be true Whereof the first is that by she verie death of Christ the price of our redemption was performed But that this might be applied vnto vs there was néed of the holie Ghost by whom we might be led to beléeue Christ that it should be expedient for vs that he had risen from death that he had sent abroad his apostles to preach in all parts and that he is now with his father as an intercessor and high priest He is said to haue therefore risen againe that he might helpe vs to obteine iustification Chrysostome séemeth to like of this exposition Another exposition is that the faith of the death and of the resurrection bringeth iustification but that Paule disseuered these things to the intent he might aptlie declare the analogie and proportion betwéene them Vnto the death of Christ verie well answereth the forgiuenesse of sinnes for by reason of them death was due vnto vs. And as Christ concerning this corruptible life died so also we ought when we are iustified to die vnto sinne Againe bicause iustification séemeth herein to be declared in that we begin a new life therefore it is referred vnto the resurrection of Christ for that he then séemed to haue begoone an heauenlie and happie life Paule vseth in a maner the selfe-same forme of words when he saith With the hart we beleeue vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth we confesse vnto saluation For the faith of the hart both worketh righteousnesse and also bringeth saluation Howbeit bicause saluation and instauration are chéeflie declared in action therefore he ascribeth it to confession But whether of these expositions is the truer neither doo I contend nor yet willinglie will I now declare In Rom. 5 vers 8. 19 Rightlie therefore is it said that GOD commended his loue towards vs when he deliuered his owne sonne vnto the crosse for our sakes For there is nothing that men hold more déere and set more store by than their children Wherefore we read that wicked mothers when they would testifie to their adulterous louers their most feruent loue and faithfulnesse of their continuall companie slue their owne children bicause they sawe they had no other argument more sure to testifie their good will towards them The charitie of God shined most in the death of Christ So God when for our sakes he deliuered his sonne vnto the death and that vnto a most shamefull death gaue vnto vs a most sure token of his excéeding good will towards vs. In that he created the world for our sakes it was indéed a great signe of his good will towards vs although therein rather shined foorth his power and diuine might and wisedome For it is the part of liberall and frée harted lords to giue and bestowe manie things vpon their subiects Howbeit lords will neuer go so far as they will endanger themselues for their seruants sakes Why God shewed so great charitie towards vs. Wherefore when GOD gaue his owne sonne vnto the death for our sakes therein as Paule saith he most of all set foorth his loue towards vs which thing he therefore did to stir vs vp to loue him againe Deut. 6 5. God had commanded vs in the lawe that we should loue him with all our hart with all our soule and with all our strength And that we might the willinglier performe this he would first declare his good will towards vs that it might appéere that he loued and cared for vs more than for himselfe For he would die euen for our sakes which death yet we so little estéeme that we will
obedience and charitie our Christ taught vs in dieng for vs. Certeinlie this doctrine is a most fit thing inuented for the kéeping of constancie in all afflictions Shall there anie be found if he be pressed with aduersities or ouercharged with diuelish temptations or if he run into anie other miseries whatsoeuer that turning his eies vpon Christ hanging on the crosse dooth not in the greatest troubles and calamities whatsoeuer comfort himselfe with this ioie I boldlie héere affirme that such a man aboue all others will kéepe the quietnes and tranquillitie of his mind séeing he acknowledgeth himselfe by reason héereof to walke in the paths and to tread in the steps of our most beloued master and onelie redéemer Iesus Christ There is no affliction will be gréeuous vnto him neither will it disquiet him to susteine anie aduersities or hard persecutions whatsoeuer they be for the honour of God and glorie of his Gospell Who is it from hence forward that will refuse to drinke of this cup of afflictions séeing Christ our head and prince hath so chéerefullie droonke thereof for obteining saluation vnto others These things I saie if euerie faithfull man will throughlie consider with himselfe he will not suffer the concupiscences of the flesh anie longer to take place and beare rule in his mind but with this pricke of the crosse will daie and night be egged forward and be profitablie driuen to the mortifieng of them while he shall consider that the flesh of Christ by the commandement of his father was humbled vpon this trée and that the same was obedient euen vnto death the which death was no lesse cruell than ignominious So as by the passion of Christ we not onelie picke out a consolation in our miseries misforturnes and calamities which often times light vpon vs but also a liuelie exhortation that we may be crucified with him as concerning the old man and our flesh according to that Gal. 5 24. which Paule to the Galathians taught They saith he that be of Christ haue crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Wherefore the same apostle vsed to call his afflictions Stigmata that is Gal. 6 17. The true prints and marks of Christs bodie The prints and seales of Christ ingraued in his bodie By reason whereof we cannot maruell enough at the follie also madnes of some christians which run hither thither on pilgrimage as far as Hiesa or Auernia for the prints and seales where with they vaunt that their Francis was marked But persecutions or rather infamies and losses which must be susteined either in goods or in bodies themselues for Christs religion sake or else for shewing of obedience to God they refuse them or else certeinlie they vnworthilie complaine of them euerie moment Of all these things it followeth that we ought verie much to estéeme afflictions punishments and troubles which we indure by the will of GOD for the glorie of Christ as being seales markes of all those things which the onelie sonne of God and our redéemer Christ suffered for vs vpon the crosse Now albeit that the Maiestie and worthines of this matter in hand dooth no small deale allure me vnto it and scarselie permitteth me to be led so soone from hence vnto an other discourse yet while I consider that I héere giue onelie an instruction vnto them that be the more ignorant and no full teaching of the better learned christians I will héere staie my selfe take in hand to describe that state which the bodie and the soule of Christ tasted of after his death He was buried he descended into hell 19 Two parts there be of man assumpted by the word into the vnitie of the person namelie the soule and the bodie euen as other men also consist of a soule and bodie but those parts were separated and disioined vpon the crosse The bodie as the euangelists doo testifie was laied in the sepulchre The sepulture of Christ wherein it remained vntill the third daie which was the time appointed by the eternall father for the most happie resurrection of Christ Of which mysterie when Paule intreateth in the epistle to the Romans he saith that The faithfull which be baptised into Christ Iesus are buried in baptisme Rom. 6 4. Which saieng must thus be vnderstood namelie that we are so dead vnto sinne in Christ that we haue no more to doo therewith séeing Christ dieng blotted out the same so that it should not afterward be imputed vnto vs vnto death Whereby that as the bodies of them that be dead be buried in the sepulchre neither doo appéere from thence vnto the eies of men not that they be not in the world but bicause that that which is corrupt and rotten in them is not séene euen so our sinne peruerse will and naughtie lust howsoeuer they be destroied by the crosse of Christ yet they cease not to remaine in vs but are couered in the sight of God Not that God knoweth not of them sufficientlie vnto whose eies all things are discouered and manifest but that he dooth mercifullie dissemble them reuengeth not nor yet is so angrie that he bringeth death vpon vs by reason of them Wherefore the flesh of Christ being buried after his death signified that our sinne is as it were buried before the iust tribunall seat of God It signified also that the power of the lawe is broken Finallie it betokened that the old shadowes and ceremonies of the lawe are vtterlie abolished The descending of Christ into hell 20 As concerning the verie soule it selfe immediatlie after that it departed from the bodie it remained not idle but it descended into the lower parts Which words declare nothing else but that it entred into the same state which the rest of the soules separated from the bodies haue experience of the which are either chosen into the fellowship of saints or else are thrust out into euerlasting destruction with the spirits of them that be damned And assuredlie both the one and the other as well the societie of the godlie spirits as also of them that should be damned felt the presence of the soule of Christ For the spirits of the faithfull who as Christ saith in Luke Luke 16 22. while he maketh mention of that vnhappie rich man and of most happie Lazarus rested in a verie quiet place which there is aptlie called The bosome of Abraham that they being all indued with one faith of that holie patriarch should wait for saluation through Christ which there was named from Abraham Those spirits I saie reioised with great consolation gaue thanks vnto the excellent God who had deliuered them by the hand of the mediatour and bicause he had perfourmed that thing which he so long before had promised Also the other spirits which were appointed to damnation felt the comming of the soule of Christ For as we read in the first epistle of Peter the third chapter To them the spirit of Christ preached
made a lier Wherfore if he haue called vs by a iust effectuall calling no doubt but he will performe the worke that he hath begun that on the daie of the Lord whether the same be the time of our death or the last time of inquisition when as sentence shall be giuen vpon all mortall men we shall be reserued vnblameable by him although we haue oftentimes fallen in this life which is our owne infirmitie Touching this faith of GOD it is written vnto the Romans Rom. 3 3. What if some of them haue not beleeued shall their vnbeleefe make the faith of God of none effect God forbid Paule in the first chapter of the first epistle to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 1 8. Pauls maner of reasoning séemeth to reason on this wise Now haue yee obteined grace by Christ and by him yee haue obteined manie gifts wherfore ye shall haue that which remaineth that yee may be vnblamable in the daie of the Lord. Neither was the same written in anie other sense by the same apostle in the epistle to the Romans Rom. 11 29. The calling and gifts of God are without repentance Wherefore let vs also vse this kind of argument if as it happeneth at anie time our mind doo quaile A most cōfortable argument in the deiection of our mind An obiection We be called to saluation we haue giuen credit to him that calleth we haue obteined remission of sinnes and haue gotten no meane gifts wherefore we shall be saued and God will not cast awaie the works of his owne hands Thou demandest touching thy calling how I am able to determine whether it be an effectuall calling or no of the faith wherewith thou art indued whether it be a temporall faith An answer therevnto Rom. 8 16. I say that The spirit of Christ doth beare witnes with our spirit that we be the sonnes of God which token of the elect Paule taught the church in his epistle to the Romans Secondlie these things may be knowne by the effects and as the Schoole-men saie à posteriore that is by that which followeth after Good works doo make our calling and election certeine for Peter in his latter epistle and first chapter after he had spoken largelie of works he added verse 10. Wherefore brethren indeuour your selues rather to make your calling and election sure But if thou shalt againe demand Séeing the spirit of our neighbour is not well knowne vnto vs can there be anie other waie for vs to iudge of him than by works Assuredlie Christ left no other meanes whereby we should iudge of our neighbours Matt 7 16. for he said By their fruits yee shall knowe them How we may iudge of our neighbour and charitie ought to persuade euerie man that when thou shalt sée thy brother to be cōuersant in the church to lead an vnblamed life and to mainteine the right professed faith of such a man hope thou well And Paule was in good hope of the Corinthians 1. Cor. 1 8. partlie of charitie whereby he imbraced them and partlie for their works sake and gifts of the holie Ghost the which appéered to be manie in their church partlie he was led by the spirit whereby he was warned that in that place there was much people which perteined vnto God Acts. 18 10. Of Grace In Rom. 1 verse 21. Look before place 1. art 38. Abstracts are knowne by their concrets 7 This place putteth vs in mind to speake somwhat of grace Nounes which as the Logicians say be put abstractlie as substantiues are vsuallie declared by their concrets or adiectiues the significations of which are more readier to the sense Wherefore let vs first sée what is signified among the Latins by this word Gratiosus that is Gratious He is said among all men to be gratious whom all men fauour and vnto whom good will is commonlie borne euen so in the holie scriptures men are said to be gratious which haue found grace with God for so the scripture vseth to speake of them whom God dooth fauour and vnto whom he extendeth his loue We are one waie gratious before God and an other waie before men Howbeit as concerning this there is a great difference betwéene God and men for men fauour none but him in whom they find things whereby they may be allured drawne to loue Wherefore it behooueth that he which will be loued of men haue in himselfe the causes of loue and good will But contrariwise God findeth nothing in men woorthie to be beloued whereby he might be induced to loue them for he himselfe first loued vs and through that loue he hath bestowed vpon vs whatsoeuer we haue that may please him The grace of God is taken two maner of waies Wherefore the name of grace in the holie scripture is vnderstood two waies First chéeflie doubtles it signifieth the good will of God towards men and the franke and frée fauour that he beareth vnto the elect Secondlie forsomuch as God dooth indue his elect with excellent gifts grace dooth sometimes signifie euen those gifts which are fréelie bestowed vpon vs by God This two maner of significations of grace being well knowne dooth plainlie shew with how great a diuersitie our aduersaries and we affirme one and the same sentence For both of vs saie that a man is iustified by grace but this is the difference that they vnder the name of grace vnderstand those gifts which are bestowed vpon them that be iustified namelie the habits or grounded dispositions which be powred into them moreouer good works and such other things as God worketh in the elect But we forsomuch as we sée that so long as we are in this life these gifts through our corruption are vnperfect denie that we can be iustified by them or that Gods iudgement can by anie means be satisfied by them wherfore we vnderstand that to be iustified by grace What is to be iustified by grace and by the grace of Christ is to be iustified by the onelie méere and sincere good will of God which he beareth vnto vs of his owne onlie mercie We saie also that we be iustified by the grace of Christ which his father beareth him for séeing he is most gratious before him he bringeth to passe that the father also loueth vs in him as his members and brethren by faith 8 But the School-men feigne to themselues that grace is an habit powred into the soule whereby the soule may the easilier be stirred vp be the readier to doo good works A deuise of the School-men learned out of the Ethiks of Aristotle which deuise of theirs they are not able anie waie to confirme by the holie scriptures And they séeme to haue taken it from the philosophers who teach in their Ethiks that Faculties and powers are strengthened by the habit of the mind whereby they be able to performe that which before they could not or
properlie as it is a motion stirred vp by meanes of some gréeuous euill that hangeth ouer vs shall haue no feare This doth Augustine confes vpon the fift psalme vpon these words I will worship in thy feare towards thy holie temple But in them can onelie be that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is obedience reuerence worshipping and pietie towards God as the 70. interpretours haue expounded the spirit of the feare of the Lord verse 8. What maner of feare Christ had and so such a gift might be found in Christ who indéed otherwise could neither feare sinne nor hell-fire nor yet fatherlie chastisements of God And if a man would saie that he feared death that must be vnderstood of naturall feare whereof we intreat not at this present And after this sort doo I vnderstand Ambrose when in his booke De spiritu sancto he affirmeth that The gifts of the holie Ghost are in the angels Out of which words the School-men gather that in them is the feare of God for doubtlesse séeing they are in blessed state that can be no otherwise vnderstood but as it hath béene alreadie shewed of me But as touching the godlie in this life The saints while they liue here are not without childlie feare we must so affirme as we thinke not that they can be without childlie feare so that that feare be so vnderstood according as I taught before that they doo not onelie flie from offending of God and are afraid of falles against his will but also are mooued with the feare of hell-fire and of the wrath of God and of his punishments vnto which feare neuertheles a quiet faith and confidence in the mercie of God are as a present comfort For we ought not to thinke that the threatenings in the holie scriptures are vaine for they are also profitable to the godlie Threatenings in the lawe are not vaine but doo profit euen the saints Luke 12 5. especiallie when they haue not as yet obteined perfect charitie absolute regeneration Christ said vnto his apostles I will shew you whom ye shall feare euen him which after he hath killed the bodie hath power also to cast the soule into hell-fire And Paule to the Corinthians bringeth foorth examples of the Hebrues in old time 1. Cor. 10 1. whereby he declareth that for their abusing the sacraments of God they were destroied in the desert By which examples he ment to warne the Corinthians to beware of the like vengeance Manie saith he are weake and manie sleepe And if we would iudge our selues we vndoubtedlie should not be iudged but now forsomuch as we are iudged we be corrected of the Lord that we should not be condemned with this world And vnto the Philippians Phil. 2 12. Worke your saluation with feare and with trembling And vnto the Romans Be not ouer wise but feare Rom. 11. 20 Hereby we sée that godlie men liue not vpon the earth without the feare of God And héere feare hath respect to manie kinds of euils for the godlie are afraid of sinne of often falling of the wrath of God of fatherlie chastisements of scourges wherewith God punisheth his people when they sinne and finallie of hell-fire which they sée they haue deserued vnlesse God by his mercie and Christ by his sacrifice which he offered vpon the crosse should helpe and succour vs. But what meaneth that which Iohn saith 1. Ioh. 4 18. A place of Iohn declared Perfect charitie casteth out feare I knowe there be some which interpret these words in this sense to wit that they which loue God trulie are not afraid to put themselues for godlinesse sake into all maner of dangers neither doo they shun persecutions but valiantlie doo stand stedfast in all maner of aduersities 2. Tim. 1 7. The verie which thing Paule in the latter epistle to Timothie wrote in other words saieng We haue not saith he receiued the spirit of fearefulnesse but of might and of loue Wherefore he exhorteth Timothie not to be ashamed of the testimonie of the Lord 2. Tim. 1 8. or of him being in bonds for the Lords sake but couragiouslie to indure labour for the Gospell sake Albeit that these things be true yet this is not that which the place of Iohn teacheth for it maketh mention there of the iudgement of the Lord of which he willeth the godlie which looue God not to be afraid and he rendreth a reason bicause feare hath disquietnes ioined with it Wherefore I willinglie assent vnto Augustine which saith that Iohn speaketh of perfect charitie the which séeing it cannot be had in this life we may not looke to haue it without feare Further we might in this place vnderstand that feare which is disseuered from confidence and therefore driueth men to desperation for they which beléeue and looue God trulie vphold their feare with a liuelie faith Of Securitie 14 Securitie séemeth to be a contempt of Gods iustice whereby sinnes are punished In Iud. 18. verse 27. If we speake of this securitie it can neuer be otherwise than wicked but there is also another found the which no doubt is to be allowed and is commendable Hope is the meane betweene securitie and desperation But to make the thing more plaine let vs consider of thrée things securitie hope desperation Hope is the meane which ought alwaies to be commended securitie is excesse but desperation is a want For as in putting awaie the mercie of God Whence securitie riseth what it is we are made desperate so in contemning his iustice we become secure Wherefore we may conclude that Securitie is a certeine immoderate hope and hereof it springeth either bicause we attribute too much to our owne strength and wisedome as though we thinke that by our selues we be able to obteine anie thing or else though we thinke that the same lieth in the mercie of God yet we suppose that he for our woorthines ought to accomplish it So doo they which promise to themselues remission of their sinnes and eternall felicitie though they vse no repentance but liue vnpurelie and wickedlie Or else it springeth hereof bicause we beléeue not that there is in God anie execution of iustice Securitie is contrarie to desperation and to the feare of God Whereof desperation proceedeth Barnard Securitie the foundation of all impietie And this securitie whereof we intreate is not onelie contrarie vnto desperation but also vnto the feare of God For desperation procéedeth of too much feare of the iustice of GOD against sinnes but securitie thinketh nothing at all of that iustice Wherefore Barnard hath rightlie said Euen as the feare of God is the beginning of wisedome so securitie is the foundation of all impietie and the beginning of foolishnes For the feare of the Lord as the scriptures testifie of it perteineth chéeflie vnto pietie and religion Wherefore in the Acts the tenth chapter verse 2. Cornelius is called a man religious and
lawe by the bodie of Christ that ye should be coupled to another namelie to him which is risen againe frō the dead that we should bring foorth fruit vnto God Paule would by this reason declare that before our faith in Christ we as it were to husbands were coupled to the lawe and to the flesh of which copulation could come no fruits but such as are pernicious and deadlie but now being deliuered by the grace of God we are coupled vnto Christ by the spirit vnto Christ I saie being raised from the dead by which copulation we shall now bring foorth fruit vnto God and not anie more to death and damnation And the selfe-same thing he affirmeth or rather expoundeth verse 5. when he addeth For when we were in the flesh the lusts of sinnes which are by the lawe tooke effect in our members to bring foorth fruit vnto death Here let vs note that so long as we were in the flesh we were subiect vnto wicked affections which by the lawe were of force in our members how then could we be iustified by our works Further in the same chapter it is written For that which I doo I allow not The 18. reason for what I would that I doo not but what I hate that doo I. If now I doo that which I would not verse 15. then it is not I that doo it but sinne that dwelleth in me For I knowe that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing Here as it manfestlie appéereth he dooth intreat of the works of men And although that in interpreting of these words I haue effectuallie prooued that they are to be vnderstood of those works which are doone of the godlie which haue alreadie obteined iustification yet now I leaue it frée vnto the aduersaries to take whether part they will And if they grant that these things ought to be vnderstood of works doone before iustification then forsomuch as they are neither allowed nor good how shall they deserue righteousnes For they are called euill and no man is iustified by an euill action But if we vnderstand works which are here described to be the works of those that are iustified then will I make my argument A maiori that is From the greater If those works which might séeme most acceptable iust and holie to God are called euill by the iudgement of reason now renewed are not allowed how can we affirme then that those works which are of sinners are such as they be able to iustifie 13 And least anie man should saie that we take our argument onelie of that which happeneth through the slouthfulnes of men when as the disputation is of that which may be doone if men would put to their good will for manie are not iustified by their good works when as they might be iustified by them if they would Herevnto we answer with the apostle in the eight chapter The 19. reason who saith For that which the lawe could not performe insomuch as it was weake bicause of the flesh Rom. 8 3. that performed God by his owne sonne being sent vnder the similitude of flesh subiect vnto sinne and for sinne condemned sinne through the flesh This place admonisheth vs that the righteousnes which God commanded in the commandements could not be performed by the helpe of the lawe by reason of the corruption and infirmitie of the flesh and for that cause was Christ sent by the father to performe that which could not be accomplished of vs. The same thing also teacheth he a little after for when he had said The 20. reason that The lust of the flesh is death he addeth moreouer that It is enimitie against God Ibidem 6. for it is not subiect to the lawe of God neither indeed can be Wherefore whatsoeuer we doo of our owne naturall strength and power which is called flesh the same resisteth God for our corrupted nature cannot be subdued vnder the lawe of God And forsomuch as it is so The 21. reason then can we not be iustified by the déeds thereof In the same chapter also we read Vnto those that loue God verse 27. all things worke to good vnto those I saie which are called of his purpose In which words the apostle touched the beginning and chéefe point of all our goodnes namelie the purpose of God which is so the cause of our saluation that all our goodnes dependeth thereof but it is not mooued by anie of our goodnes But the verie causes of mans felicitie are afterward orderlie and distinctlie described among which there is no mention at all of our good works Those which he knew before verse 28 he also predestinated and whom he hath predestinated those hath he also called and whom he hath called them also hath he iustified and whom he hath iustified them also will he glorifie This chaine is linked togither with all the meanes and helps whereby God bringeth vs vnto saluation But séeing there is no mention made of the works of the lawe and of merits it sufficientlie appéereth that by them we are not iustified Further when it is said The 22. reason Who shall accuse the elect of God It is God which iustifieth who shall condemne verse 33 and 34. It is Christ which died yea which also is risen againe which also sitteth at the right hand of God which also maketh intercession for vs. If by the iudgement of God we should be iustified by works it had béene sufficient to haue said The elect shall be accused in vaine forsomuch as they haue good merits and séeing by their vertuous and holie works they shall obteine absolution He saith not so But saith he it is God which iustifieth And it might haue béene answered No man shall condemne the elect séeing that their works be such as they deserue both absolution and a reward But he maketh no such answer but saith It is Christ that died c. Why then should we take vpon vs to mingle our works therewithall séeing the scripture willeth vs in no case so to doo 14 Now come we to the ninth chapter wherin is intreated of the prouidence of God which directeth and ordereth all things not for anie other cause vndoubtedlie but that we should thinke that the nature of it and of iustification is all one for either of them is giuen fréelie and not of works The 23. reason For the apostle writeth that Of two brethren which were not yet borne and when they had doone neither good nor euill Rom. 9 11. to the end the election of God should abide according to his purpose not of works but of him that calleth it is said The elder shall serue the yoonger as it is written Iacob haue I loued and Esau haue I hated Here as we sée are works most manifestlie excluded The 24. reason Also vnto Moses it was answered I will shew mercie to whom soeuer I shew mercie Exod. 33
teach a resolution from works vnto faith Againe from faith vnto his obiect And that we should not thinke that faith by his owne power hath anie thing whereby it can iustifie he againe passeth from it vnto the obiect saieng How shall they beleeue without a preacher And how shall they preach except they be sent Also Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God Wherefore the vttermost point of the resolution is the word of God the promise touching Christ from whence as from the fountaine is deriued our saluation and iustification In the 11. chapter is set foorth the Antithesis or contrarie position betwéene incredulitie and faith verse 19 which séemeth verie much to confirme that which we now teach The branches were broken off that I might be graffed in this was an obiection of the Gentiles against the Iewes Paule answereth Thou saiest well bicause of vnbeleefe they were broken off but thou standest by faith Here is giuen the reason of the fall and destruction of men and on the other side of saluation and constancie namelie vnbeléefe and faith And of the Iewes which should one daie be restored he addeth And if they abide not still in their vnbeleefe they shall be againe graffed in The restoring of them that be fallen is prooued to be and to be doone by faith for God is of might to graff them in Here we sée that by departing from vnbeléefe which consisteth in beléeuing men that haue fallen are restored This maketh verie much against the error of those which although they after a sort confesse that the first iustification is giuen fréelie without anie works going before yet vnto men that haue fallen they grant not restitution vnto iustification but by satisfaction and manie works preparatorie 50 These things out of the epistle vnto the Romans In the first epistle to the Corinthians the first chapter it is thus written verse 21. Bicause the world in the wisedome of God knew not God by wisedome it pleased God by the foolishnes of preaching to saue them that beleeue Bicause the wise men of this world saith the apostle by their naturall searching out could not take hold of the wisedome of God whereby they might be saued God of his goodnes hath instituted a contrarie waie namelie the preaching of the Gospell which vnto the flesh séemeth foolishnesse that by it saluation should be giuen vnto men but yet not to all sorts of men but to those onlie that beléeue Wherefore in the second to the Corinthians verse 24. the 1. chapter it is thus written By faith ye stand by which words we vnderstand that the foundation whereby we are confirmed and established in the waie of saluation verse 14. is faith Further Paule to the Galathians the 2. chapter where he reprooueth Peter for his simulation whereby he séemed to lead the Gentiles to obserue the ceremonies of the Iewes thus speaketh If thou being a Iew liuest after the maner of the Gentiles and not as doo the Iewes why compellest thou the Gentiles to liue as doo the Iewes For we which are Iewes by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles knowing that a man is not iustified by the works of the lawe euen we beleeue in Christ that we might be iustified by the faith of Christ and not by the works of the lawe bicause by the works of the lawe shall no flesh be iustified Here we sée that the apostles therefore followed Christ that they might be iustified by faith which they could not obteine by works Gal. 2 20. And afterward In that that I now liue in the flesh I liue by the faith in the sonne of God which is all all one as if he should haue said As yet in déed sinne sticketh in my flesh and in it I carrie death about but yet notwithstanding I haue life not through mine owne merit but by the faith of the sonne of God Gal. 3 2. In the 3. chapter he thus writeth I would knowe this of you Receiued ye the spirit by the works of the lawe or by the hearing of faith And straitwaie he addeth He which ministreth vnto you the spirit and in you worketh miracles doth he the same by the works of the lawe or by the hearing of faith By these words we sée that it is faith and not works whereby we take hold of the gifts of God verse 7. And he addeth Ye know that they which are of faith the same are the children of Abraham and that vndoubtedlie for no other cause but for that in beléeuing they doo followe and resemble him verse 8. Wherfore saith he The scripture forseeing that God would iustifie the Gentiles by faith shewed before hand glad tidings vnto Abraham saieng In thee shall all nations be blessed This blessing spred not abroad vnto them bicause they had their beginning of the flesh of Abraham but bicause they followed the steps of his faith Otherwise of Abraham as touching the flesh came not as farre as we can read anie other nation than the Ismaelites Edomites and Israelites Then followeth the conclusion verse 9. Therefore they which are of faith shall be blessed with faithfull Abraham But To be blessed in the Hebrue phrase is nothing else than To receiue the gifts of God amongst which iustification is the most principall Wherefore it followeth that Vnto the Gentiles through Christ verse 14. might come the promise made vnto Abraham that we might receiue the promise of the holie Ghost through faith So then we sée that the promise of the holie Ghost is not taken hold of by works as manie faine it is Which thing euen reason sufficientlie declareth for séeing the Lord as it shall a little afterward be declared had by promise giuen this blessing vnto Abraham we must sée what is referred vnto the promise as a correlatiue which as we haue said can be nothing else but faith for faith setteth foorth vnto it selfe the promises of God as an obiect 51 Paule furthermore addeth Ibidem 22 that The scripture hath concluded all vnder sinne that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ should be giuen to them that beleeue This is the cause why the holie scriptures so diligentlie shew vnto men how they be guiltie of sinnes namelie that they should the more be stirred vp to imbrace the promises of God by faith at the least when they haue not good works whereby they might take hold of them And this vnderstand we by that which is afterward written verse 24. The lawe is our schoolemaister vnto Christ that we should be iustified by faith These words signifie nothing else but that the lawe therefore sheweth sinnes and setteth foorth vnto men their infirmities and stirreth vp their lusts whereby sinnes are more and more increased that they being thus admonished should returne vnto Christ and might from him thorough faith receiue righteousnesse Which thing they vndoubtedlie did of whom it was said verse
fact We knowe that in those daies it was lawfull to vow but what is to be thought of this act nothing can be gathered by the words It may be that he so vowed by the inspiration of God which being a particular example it ought not to be extended to imitation as of this kind there be verie manie in the holie scriptures Some there be which affirme Whether Ieptha sacrificed his daughter that Ieptha did not offer his daughter in verie déed but onelie punished hir with ciuill death namelie in separating hir from the common conuersation so that she liued onelie vnto God by giuing hir selfe to praiers onelie and by liuing apart from the companie of men And they séeme to affirme that that was the vow Cherem howbeit no such as thereby the maiden should be bound to be killed but that she should liue as dedicated vnto God and continuallie giue hir selfe to his seruice And euen as a féeld or house dedicated by the vow Cherem The vow Cherem could not be reuoked to the first owner so saie they this maiden being once dedicated vnto the Lord could not returne vnto hir old state Dauid Kimhi in defending of this sentence bringeth these reasons First he weigheth the words of Ieptha Iude. 11 31. Whatsoeuer commeth foorth of my house shal be the Lords and I will offer it for a burnt offering This letter Vau being a coniunction copulatiue as we said in our commentarie he thinks dooth make a proposition alternatiue as if it should haue béene said If it be such a thing as may be sacrificed it shall be sacrificed but if it be otherwise it shal be the Lords and be dedicated vnto him Ibidem 37. Further he saith that the maiden desired space to bewaile hir virginitie neither is it written To bewaile hir soule or life Wherefore it séemeth that she bewailed onelie this to wit that she should want a husband and children but if she should haue béene offered vp it behooued hir chéeflie to lament for hir life Lastlie he saith verse 39. that the woords of the storie declare it for it is not said that Ieptha sacrificed hir but that he did as he vowed If he had killed hir it would haue béen written And he offered hir a burnt offering to the Lord. Of the same opinion is Rabbi Leui Ben-Gerson and he addeth that it is written in the text Rabbi Leui Ben-Gerson And she knew no man As though it should be vnderstood hereby what kind of sacrifice that was And he thinketh that Ieptha builded a house for hir where she should liue alone and he permitted her fellow virgins once a yeare to go and visit hir and to bewaile hir virginitie togither with hir And afterward he addeth that a man so dedicated ought not to liue without a wife bicause the man is not subiect vnto the wife Samuel although he were vowed vnto the Lord by the decrée of his mother yet had he a wife and children But a woman being so dedicated might not marrie bicause it was necessarie that she shuld serue hir husband who remoouing anie whither she was to go togither with him And therefore it is written that Ieptha did to hir acording to his vow she knew no man 15 Of the same mind is Lyranus and there be among the new writers some of great learning which followe this interpretation Lyra. But Lyranus pondereth these words And the spirit of the Lord came vpon him and saith that That spirit would not haue suffered Ieptha Ibidem 29. to haue cōmitted this murder Besides he saith that it is written that there were two moneths space giuen so that he might aske counsell of the priests And it is not verie likelie verse 39 but that he asked counsell of so weightie a matter or else that they told him that he might redéeme his vow Neither is it probable that this Ieptha appointed to doo anie thing rashlie séeing the epistle to the Hebrues calleth him holie If thou wilt saie He did vnto hir as he had vowed Heb. 11 32. but he vowed a sacrifice and to offer whatsoeuer met him they will answer He vowed indéed but vpon this condition so that it were lawfull But when his daughter met him either he learned or else he vnderstood that it was not lawfull Wherefore if he had killed hir he had not accomplished his vow but should haue dishonested himselfe But on the contrarie part it séemeth woonderfull that he was so abashed and he tare his garments if the maiden should not haue béene offered vp Further to what end should the virgins haue lamented hir For if she should not haue béene slaine there séemed to be no iust cause of moorning Ouer this if hir virginitie was to be offered vnto God it should haue béene giuen with a willing mind Yea and in the rendering of vowes this is chéeflie to be regarded What must be cheeflie regarded in vowes that they must be paid chéerfullie and with a willing mind Herevnto Ieptha had no example in the scriptures whereby it should be lawfull for the father to bind his daughter by a vow to kéepe hir virginitie but contrariwise God promiseth abundance of children vnto the obseruers of the lawe in the seuenth of Deuteronomie Deut. 7. 13. Exod. 23 26 and 23. of Exodus So then that which GOD promiseth in sted of a great benefit the same might not be hindered by a vow Moreouer the arguments of the Rabbins are slender and weake as afterward shall be more abundantlie declared Paule writeth in his first epistle to the Corinthians the seuenth chapter verse 37. If the father shall firmelie determine in his hart hauing power ouer his owne will to keepe his virgine vnmarried he dooth well c. Wherefore writeth he Hauing power ouer his owne will If the maiden hir selfe will the father may kéepe hir vnmarried so that she consent But Ieptha knew nothing of his daughters will when he vowed and then he ought not to thinke his vow to be ratified when his daughter came out to méet him And if this kind of vow should not be firme in the new testament much lesse was it of value in the old testament where the vow of virginitie was not knowne But of this matter I haue spoken more in my booke of vowes 16 There were others which thought that Ieptha did in verie déed offer the maiden which in those daies should not séeme so new and vnaccustomed a thing for God required of Abraham that he should offer his sonne Gen. 22 2. And such a vow was thought of manie to be acceptable vnto God and that opinion also did passe vnto the Ethniks wherefore this sentence is oftentimes spoken Sanguine placâstis ventos virgine caesa that is With bloud and with a virgine slaine The winds ye haue appeasd certaine There are works of poets which make mention of Polyxena and Iphigenia and also histories of the Curtij
of those persons departed whose monuments they behold To this part dooth Augustine incline But as he saith it is obiected vnto him by Paulinus The saints as it is written by Paule in the 2. to the Corinthians the fift chapter shall stand verse 10. as well as other men before the iudgment seate of Christ that there euerie man may receiue according to that he hath doone in his bodie whether it be good or euill That the dead receiue not according to the requests of them that are aliue Therefore the soules of them that be dead are neuer a whit the better for the praier and intercession of them which doo liue here He answereth that there be some which haue no néed of these things as they which haue alreadie atteined felicitie and that there be others so condemned to euerlasting punishments as by no supplications they can be deliuered from thence But he will haue some to be found such as haue so behaued themselues in their bodie that they haue deserued to be holpen with the praiers of them which be yet liuing and vpon this foundation thus laid he concludeth that it may somwhat profit them that be dead if they be buried at the monuments of martyrs But let him take héed how firme is this principle of his we in verie déed accept it not being set downe without the scripture The prophets nor yet the lawe haue not made mention of anie such thing neither would the scripture haue silenced a thing so verie dutifull and of so great charitie towards miserable deceased sinners and haue spoken no where anie one word thereof But if thou wilt saie that it is a most ancient tradition of the church we grant it but it is not prooued or concluded by the holie scriptures not onelie it is not conteined in them but it is in no wise prooued out of them And if the church doo praie it was not for this cause doone in times past to the intent the spirits of them that be dead should be deliuered but as Dionysius testifieth it was in respect that the priest should doo the part of Gods interpretour and should in the title of the praier Why in times past they haue praied for the dead informe and certifie them that are present what God had doone for him that was dead or what we also are to hope for after this life 15 Nor obtrude thou to vs the second booke of Macchabeis it is not in the canon 2. Macc. 12 verse 43. Further it was written in those daies when Iudaea was pressed with the yoke of the Graecians whose maners it had now not onelie receiued but also imbraced the opinions which sauored of philosophie and deuises of mans reason euen as it had receiued a wrestling place brothell houses after the verie which maner it receiued by chance the inuention of purgatorie The originall of purgatorie which the prelates of the church by chance espieng to be obserued of godlie men with a certeine religiousnesse did not much passe to take the same vtterlie awaie but they altered and corrected it as much as might be Which Dionysius whatsoeuer he were dooth by a coniecture plaine inough declare vnto vs in his Treatise De ecclesiastica hierarchia where he obiecteth against himselfe Séeing the dead man hath alreadie that which he shall haue whie dooth the priest praie ouer his corps for his felicitie Not saith he to the intent he should be holpen with those suffrages but bicause it may be declared to them which stand by what God hath doone concerning him and thereby is giuen to the people present as well comfort as assurance both of the resurrection of the bestowing of eternall rewards So as the priest in that place vnder the pretence of praiers plaieth Gods interpretour And against the opinion of Augustine is the Bracarensin Councell in the 36. canon which decréed that at the oratories of martyrs the dead should not be buried And in the 13. cause question 2. chapter Praecipiendum the same is decréed out of the Varensin Councell Albeit in the same place in the chapter Nullus mortuus out of the Magociensin Councell the matter was brought to that passe as none should be permitted to be buried in the temples but bishops priests and abbats And this dooth reason persuade for temples are not for this purpose prouided that therein dead bodies should be interred but that sacraments should be ministred that sermons should be preached Burleng places set forth to the sale and that God should be praied vnto and praised in them But now among the Papists the churches are become churchyards which they make onelie for gaine sake And whereas it is expresselie commanded in the decrées that nothing should be taken for buriall Gen. 23 11. they séeme neuer to be satisfied Ierom treating on a place in Genesis saith If this man I meane Ephron would not receiue the things offered of Abraham and that when he was ouercome with gaine he receiued them is lightlie passed ouer what shall be doone as touching them which dare wrest awaie by violence Otherwise did Ambrose will to be doone when as he writeth in his Booke of offices The causes whit gold was giuen to churches that gold must be bestowed vpon the church not onelie that the church may doo good vnto the poore but also that there may be prouision made for the buriall of the dead Gaine and superstition haue brought in this kind of abuse Let vs not therefore be disquieted if we be not buried in churches for against the opinion of Augustine and against this peruerse custome speaketh Chrysostome Chrysost vpon the epistle to the Hebrues Wheresoeuer we be buried The earth is the Lords In the 13. cause question 2. the chapter Vbicunque Yet is not the care to wit the care taking for buriall or sepulture to be detested naie verelie it is lawfull for them that be aliue to choose themselues a burieng place Which we sée that the prophet did 1. kin 1◠15 which deceiued the other prophet for after that he heard he was dead he cōmanded his children that after his death they should burie him in the sepulchre wherein the other prophet was laid For he not onelie iudged that it would be an honor vnto him that his bones should be spared in the time of Iosias but he also thought it not amisse in the meane time that his bodie shuld be ioined with the dead bodie of the other prophet Iustlie therefore may we prouide to haue our bodies buried among our ancestors among godlie men and among our friends and acquaintance That our soules being loosed from the bodies doo not sleepe 16 When Paule saith in the 13. In 1. Cor. 13 verse 12. chapter of the first epistle to the Corinthians But then we shall see face to face c that same abuerbe of time then dooth signifie vnto vs the state of the time after death when the
not euerie where receiued So as if a due consent ought to be preserued in the Church it is necessarie that we firmelie and constantlie staie our selues in the holie Scriptures Of discerning of Spirites 9 But the discerning of spirits is a gift In 1. Cor. 12. ver 10. How Spirits may be discerned by which the difference of thē which are moued by an euill spirit is knowen from them which are inspired with the holy ghost Which how necessarie it is Christ admonished when he said Matt. 7. 15. Beware of false Prophets which come vnto you in sheepes clothing but inwardlie they be rauening wolues 1. Thess 5. 21. And Paul vnto the Thessalonians Prooue all things and keepe that which is good But how spirites are to be knowen Iohn teacheth in his first Epistle when he saith 1. Iohn 4. 2. If a man confesse that the Lord Iesus is come in the fleshe he is of God and he that denieth that the Lord Iesus is come in the flesh is not of the Lord but is of Antichrist Augustine treating on these wordes Augustine maruelleth that manie Heretikes be verie pernitious which confesse the Lord Iesus to haue come in the flesh who neuertheles be not of God but he aunswereth to this effect that they confesse the Lord Iesus to be come in flesh which with a sound faith receiue all those doctrines which either goe before or follow this article If Christ come in the flesh he was before his comming he tooke verie fleshe vppon him to this end that he should verilie die and that afterward hée should rise againe whereby he might also giue vs the hope of resurrection And manie other things are knit vnto that principle the which aswell heretikes as infidels doe refuse either in whole or in part Wherfore Iohn would not distinctlie recken vp euerie thing which we ought to confesse vnto saluation to the end that our spirite might be approoued but he onelie spake of that which was the chiefe vnto which in a manner all other things necessarie to saluation are adioyned Looke part 1. pl 3. Art 8 Euery one that holdeth right opinions is not therefore saide to be of Christ Two sorts of confessiō But if thou wilt saie Admit there be some which rightlie and faithfullie hold al those opinions is he therfore thought to haue the spirit of Christ if he liue vnpurelie Augustine aunswereth that there is a certaine confession which is in outward words onelie and an other which is true and hath good workes with it And this he prooueth out of the Epistle vnto Titus Tit. 1. 16. They confesse that they know God but in deedes they denie him Therefore by contraries he saith there be some which in déeds confesse God him selfe therefore he affirmeth that confession of which Iohn speaketh is no vulgare confession but such a one as hath déeds But through these things which are spoken by this godlie man we haue as yet no certaine rule by the which spirites are discerned Many heretiks haue liued godlie in shewe For there be manie Heretikes which in outward shew haue had their life garnished with workes notable enough but the same in the meane time was contaminated with the indeuour of humane glorie and we being ignorant of the purpose of their mind can iudge nothing of the goodnes of the workes which they make semblance of for this iudgment pertaineth onelie to the conscience Wherefore Iohn in the same Epistle writeth 1. Ioh. 3. 20. And if so be our heart accuse vs God is greater than our heart and knoweth all things As if he had said Although thou shalt behaue thy selfe notablie in outward shew and shalt haue an euill minde thinke not that thou art hidden for God also vnderstandeth the peruersenesse of thy minde séeing he is greater than our heart So as to God must be left the secrete iudgement of perfect vprightnesse of workes because he being the iudge it maie be that he which shall giue his bodie to be burned 1. Cor. 13. 3. séeing hée is without charitie it is nothing and that those things which he séemeth to doe verie well are condemned Onelie we can iudge of those thinges which appeare manifestlie Two rules for the trying of spirits 1. Ioh. 4. 2. The confession of opinions must be examined according to the scriptures Before the new Testament was written opinions were examined by the Apostles sayings 1. Iohn 4. 6. 10 Wherefore there remaineth two rules for to iudge of spirites One is if the opinions as touching faith be retained perfect and pure And this meant Iohn when he said If anie man confesse the Lord Iesus c. And this confession of opinions must be examined by the holie Scriptures the which seeing they had not in the Church at the beginning as concerning the new Testament they were examined by the words and doctrine of the Apostles Therefore Iohn a little after saith He that is of God heareth vs and he that heareth not vs is not of God Then he addeth that thus we doe prooue the spirit An other rule is of maners and life This did Christ expresse when hée said By their fruites ye shall knowe them And as opinions are knowen by examining of them with the Scriptures Life and maners must be tryed by discipline so life and maners should be tried by the discipline of the Church Howbeit either rule of examination is at this daie waxen cold For the life of the faithfull is not looked vppon but the shéepe of Christ doe miserablie perish and are neglected Further the holie Scripture is lesse red than méet it should neither is it carefullie and diligentlie handled And the Papistes will that the opinions should bée examined not by the Scriptures but by the councels and fathers Thereof it commeth to passe that the Church hath these manie yeares béene deceiued In the Primatiue Church a gift was extant whereby it might easilie be knowen with what spirite they which did speake were ledde By these meanes Satan was resisted when he transformed himselfe into an Angel of light Of Councels 11 Wherfore let them take héed which in diuers places boast of the Councels In 1. Cor. 2. verse 14. in which it hath bin iudged as touching religion what men it behooued there to bée namelie spirituall for somuch as the iudgement onelie of diuine things is brought to thē But at this daie the greatest part of a Councell Out of this place is gathered an argument against Councels is so ouerfraught with grosse imperfections as in verie déede it is not lawfull to take meat with them They saie that they be the Church howbeit although they be baptised and haue taken orders in the Church Looke after pl. 6. Act. 9. 17 c. Looke part 1. pl. 6. Act. 11. yet doe they not therefore prooue themselues to be spiritual séeing it is prooued that they do the workes of the flesh and not
for the power of the Tribunes The displeasures which the common people suffered by the Nobilitie were temporall and belonged to the maintenaunce and safetie of the bodie but those thinges which the Papistes bring in vppon vs haue respect vnto eternall saluation But letting passe the example of Ethnickes another thing commeth to minde which is mencioned in the Ecclesiasticall Historie The example of Paphnutius Paphnutius a Bishoppe of Egypt and a verie noble confessour of the Lord whose right eye the Emperour Maximianus put out and hockst his left ham whereby he might liue halfe blind lame when he was in the Synode of Tyrus where also sate Maximus a worthie Bishop of Ierusalem and he himselfe a confessour of Christ and perceiued that nothing else was sought by his fellow Bishoppes but that Athanasius might be oppressed by deceites ill reports and naughtie practises rose vp and taking Maximus by the hand which sat in the middest of the rest said It is not lawfull for thee to sit among these men And hauing spoken these wordes he led him awaie with him Also Christ admonished Mat. 16. 6. that we should beware of the Leauen of the Pharisees And Paul saide 1. Cor. 5. 6. A little leauen marreth the whole lumpe Yea and experience it selfe teacheth that they which hauing knowledge of the truth are withheld through an affection to their friends or kinne loue of their countrie couetousnes of riches and goods they become colder euerie daie more than other as touching godlinesse and are so frosen together at the length as the féele of religion is extinguished in them and sometime of friendes and brethren they become most cruell enemies And it is founde to be most true which the wise man said Eccle. 13. He that toucheth pitch shall be defiled therewith Neither can it otherwise be but as the Apostle said out of Menander 1. Co. 15. 23 yâ— ill spéech wil corrupt good maners 37 Let vs sée what happened vnto the Israelites in the time of Ieroboam when Idolatrie was erected 2. Chro. 11 13. Verilie they which had but a crum of godlines leauing the confines of the kingdome of Israel ioyned theÌ„selues to the house of Iuda to the intent they might not sacrifice vnto the Idols which were erected but that they might worshippe the true God according to the prescript of the Lawe in the place which he had chosen vnto himselfe Which whoso did not they not onelie contaminated themselues with Idolatrie but together with the wâ—…ed they were afflicted with manifolde and gréeuous punishments There was euen at the beginning of the world a separation made betwéene the posteritie of Seth and Caine for these had departed from the true worshippe of God wherein they soundlie continued Gen. 4. 17. 5. 1. And assuredlie the punishment of the floud was so long differred as that holie posteritie continued frée from Idolatrie but whenas afterward the sons of God being allured with the beawtie of women had ioyned themselues with the vngodlie all things went to confusion and horrible shame wherefore God destroyed the worlde by a floud of water Gen. 6. In which destruction neither Noah himselfe with his familie had béene saued vnlesse by going into the Arke he had seuered himselfe from the vngodlie Lot likewise escaped the fire because he was led foorth from the fellowship of wicked men Gen. 19. The Lord also commanded as we haue it in the booke of Numerie Num. 16. 21 that the Israelites should separate themselues from Dathan and Abiram vnlesse they were more willing to perish together with them He also called foorth the Israelites which were remaining in Babylon after the libertie giuen vnto them by Cyrus and Darius Esa 52. ver 11. for that gréeuous punishments were at hande vnto the Babylonians by reason of their Idolatrie and shamefull wickednesse In fine if the first Adam by the instinct of Gods spirite truelie saide of his wife Gen. 2. 23. For this cause shal man leaue his father and mother and shall cleaue vnto his wife why also were not all things to be left of vs for retaining the truth of Christ seeing that euen the wife her selfe the children must be left for religion sake But if we séeme not to our aduersaries to haue doone well let them declare the cause why they haue separated themselues from al other Churches being the greater part of the world They are not able in verie déede to shewe such iust and euident causes as ours be which we haue before alleadged Let not their slaunders terrifie vs especiallie those which they haue always in their mouth saying that we are disturbers These bee no newe things They haue béene oftentimes vpbraided to the seruaunts of God Did not Achab the king of Samaria rebuke Elias the man of God 2. King 17. 18. and said Art thou Elias which troublest Israell But the Prophet constantlie returned the rebuke vpon him I trouble not Israell thou rather doest altogether with thy wife Iezabell The Iewes also accused Christ before Pilate Luke 23. 5. that he troubled all Iurie beginning at Galile Of the Apostles also as it is in the Actes it is saide Acts. 17. 6. Acts. 24. 5. that they troubled men Yea and Tertullus the Orator thus spake vnto Portius Festus that hée shoulde punish Paul because that they might by his conduct and gouernment inioy excellent peace and tranquillitie if onelie Paul were not a let who troubled all things by peruerse and new doctrine But now I cease to vrge anie more the seconde point namely that we might not otherwise doe but depart from the Popedome Thrée special causes of departing from the Papists For thrée sortes of necessitie vrged vs namelie of obaying the commaundements of GOD of shunning sinnes and flying Idolatrie and also for the escaping of paines and punishments which remaine for the wicked Neither must it séeme anie maruell that these necessities are laide vppon vs séeing that in the ciuill lawes the companies and assemblie which vnlawfullie assemble together are condemned to gréeuous punishments as it is in the Title de Collegijs corporibus illicitis the which are not onelie forbidden by the Commonweale or Emperour but they which frequent the same are accounted of euen as if they had occupied the publike place or temple with armed men For they are thought to abuse such corporations and fellowships for the working of their naughtines Wherfore God doeth rightlie and in order when by his commaundements he reconcileth vs from such assemblies 38 But nowe I come to the third member of this treatise wherein I will shew that we departed not from the Church but are rather come vnto it That they which haue left the Pope haue not departeâ— from the Church but rather returned to the same Which that it may euidently appeare we must consider that our aduersaries are verie much deceiued forsomuch as they thinke that things
the Churchyardes the waxe candles the fraÌ„kincense the pascall Lambe egges and also holy water the boughes of their palme trées yong springes grasse and pothearbes and finally all kinde of fruites and it is come to that passe as they consecrate the very belles and they take it in ill part that we say they baptise them For Hosius cauileth that this is vainelie spoken by vs The baptizing of bels and affirmeth that they be consecrated by their Ministers but not baptised But truely the common people are wholy to be excused for saying they doe baptise them for séeing all thinges in a manner are there doone wâ—…h pertain vnto baptisme it is not without a cause that they say they baptise theÌ„ For they be washed they be annointed they be coniured they are named handled with far greater pompe and ambition than men are while they are baptised with the holy baptisme How much the Papists attribute vnto Bels. much more is attributed vnto them than to the prayers of godly men For they say that by the ringing of them the wicked spirits the hoste of aduersaries the laying awaite of enemies tempestes hayle stormes whiriewindes violent blastes and hurtfull thunderclaps are driuen away flames and fires extinguished and finally what else soeuer But we much more soundlie and rightlie iudge that it is lawfull as we haue saide yea to bée required by godlie right A lawfull kinde of dedication that in the first vse of euerie thing wee should giue thankes vnto God and celebrate his goodnesse and that with méete and conuenient praises and desire that we may vse religiouslie and holilie such a benefite bestowed vpon vs. These things doubtlesse cannot be reprooued séeing they haue iust foundations out of the holie Scriptures Why the consecrations of the Papists must be reiected But the trifles of our aduersaries séeing they bee not deriued of the word of God but haue béene brought in by idle and superstitious men ought worthilie to be reiected by the Church of Christ For such is not the condition of men to institute sacraments at their owne pleasure because that is proper to God alone and to none besides him For sacramentes be instruments of the holy ghost the which he vseth to stirre vp our faith And séeing he is altogether the wisest he hath no néed that we should by our owne imagination or indeuour prepare instrumentes for him Which thing also no artificer in his facultie would abide but would him selfe make choyce of his owne instrumentes Wherefore great is the bouldnesse of these men which will prescribe his instrumentes whereby he should worke our saluation They are also reprooued for an other cause because they deale against the diuell by commaundement as though they could constraine him to depart when they will whereas they haue receaued no such grace of the holy Ghost and séeing that all Christians inioy not that gift 1. Co. 12. 11 For the spirit as Paul testifieth distributeth his gifts euen as he will Further they be ignorant whether an euill spirit be in that place which they say they consecrate which séeing they knowe not neither are warranted by the worde of God whatsoeuer they doe they worke without faith and therefore they sin séeing it is written by the Apostle Ro. 14. 24. Whatsoeuer is not of fâ—… is sinne In déede there hath sometime â—in certaine wicked houses where ill spirites exercised horrible thinges so as they might not be inhabited by men but there it was knowen by the déed it selfe that the ill spirite was present but in other houses we cannot perceiue either by the effectes or yet by the word of God that there be ill spirites Why then doe they so imperiously coniure them They might aswell coniure the whole world séeing Paul in the 6. to the Ephesians calleth the diuels Verse 12. The rulers of the world or at the leastwise the whole ayre whereby we chiefly vse to take breath séeing the euill spirites are called the powers of the ayre Neither can that be because they make more account of the ceremonies inueÌ„ted by themselues than of the Sacraments instituted by God For they vse greater pompe and preparation in the administring of them than when they celebrate the supper of the Lord or baptisme which Christ instituted Againe they preferre their inuentions aboue the tenne commaundementes and would more grieuously punish the breakers of them than those which transgresse the commaundementes of God Wherefore godlinesse is maruelouslie impayred for men are ledde away from the word of God and doe turne their mindes vnto vanities and to mens traditions And it is vnspeakeable how greatlie the ordinance of new worshippinges doe displease God for he hath euerie where in his lawes forbidden that it should not be doone 5 But now that we haue spoken ynough of the consecrating of outward thinges Onelie thanks and prayers must be vsed in outward consecrations What maner of consecration of men the papists vse With what superstitioÌ„s they haue infected Baptisme wherein this brieflie must be helde that besides prayer and thankesgiuing no other thing ought to be vsed now will we sée whether they deale anie thing more sincerely and godly in the baptising of men Vndoubtedly with their superstitions and inuentions they haue horriblie infected baptisme For that sacrament doeth consist of two things of the outward element of water and the word of God â—hereupon Augustine verie well said The worde is added vnto the element and it is made a Sacrament Other things which afterward were put thereunto procéeded from Bishops who were more giuen vnto Ceremonies than was méete and were maruellouslie affected to things inuented by themselues For this is a grieuous and in a manner a continuall fault of the nature of man that we haue in estimation those things especiallie which wee our selues haue inuented Therefore were the institutions of Christ and of his Apostles contemned as things worne out of vse Whereof it came to passe that the Papists do more detest them being barelie and simplie receiued than good Orators doe the wordes that be altogether out of vse So that in tract of time the Bishops haue foisted into Baptisme Oyle salt spittle Consecration of fonts twise in the yéere waxe light breathings exorcismes consecration of Fontes twise a yéere that is at Easter and at Pentecost thrée times dipping and such other like And as they bée most pregnant in coyning of wordes they haue called manie of them not sacramentes The Papists Sacramentals but sacramentals because they be tokens signes of those things which they themselues not God would haue to be signified and as they were mooued and did dreame in their imagination so they brought in things which séemed good vnto themselues As concerning Oyle Oyle added to baptisme we confesse that the auncient Kings Prophets and Priests and among the Ethnicks the wrestlers were annointed withall But these men by applying their annointings in Baptisme doe
of the Sentences déemeth do serue for honestie comlines and solemnitie This doubtlesse is lamentable that almost all things in Christianitie be corrupted not onelie 〈◊〉 concerning manners but also as touching doctrine and Sacraments Verilie it had béene méete in baptisme to haue delt by faith and to require a full and perfect profession thereof And let not anie man answere that the créede is recited because in the baptisme of Papistes it is doone verie coldlie especiallie séeing it is alwaies vsed in the latine tongue which is not vnder stoode of them that stande by And although they that be present doe after a sort knowe by long experience the articles of the faith yet doe they but lightlie vnderstande them wherefore it is necessarie to instruct them more plainelie They boast also that they vse a Catechising or instruction But in what sort Forsooth the same consisteth of fiue or tenne words and these not vnderstood Besides they commaunde him that is to be baptised to renounce the Diuell and the pompes of this world For the which they haue no commaundement of God 7 But leauing the rest of their trifles Exorcisme added to Baptisme Look part 2 pl. 1. Art 24. part 1. pl. 9. Art 30. let vs come to Exorcisme wherein they put the whole summe and effect of the thinges that be added And séeing the matter is of great importaunce I thinke it first méete to speake somewhat of the signification of the worde In Gréeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to adiure by holie things Augustine in his booke de Beata vita writeth that an euill spirite inuadeth the soule troubleth the senses and casteth men into madnesse in the driuing out of which they that haue authoritie doe laie on their handes and exorcise that is do driue him out in adiuring him by diuine thinges Hereby it appeareth now that exorcisme is an adiuring by holie things Vlpianus in the Pandects in the Title de variis extraordinariis cognitionibus in the first law saith that he alloweth not of those Phisitians which inchaunt and exorcise and he addeth that the same is a woord which deceiuers vse And although some saith he affirme that they be holpen yet doe they nothing but inchaunt and curse Also Plinie beléeued that there bee certaine diseases which maie be healed by inchauntments and adiurations In like manner there were some which supposed that exorcisme is therefore applied to holie baptisme because a great oth is there made in the name of Christ But they be verie far deceiued for that the sacrificer doth there adiure the euill spirit neither doeth he take anie oth in the name of Christ True indéed it is that the verbe is deriued of the nowne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is an oth And vndoubtedly as I haue already said A certain adiuratiō by holie things is performed in exorcisme I haue noted that the verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is thrée times found in the newe Testament For in the fifth Chapter of Marke the Diuell adiured Christ saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Verse 7. I adiure thée by God that thou torment me not In the 19. Verse 13. Chapter of the Actes the sonnes of Sceua saide 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Wee adiure you by Iesus Christ whom Paul preacheth And in the first to the Thessalonians the last Chapter Verse 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is I adiure you by the Lord that this Epistle be redde vnto all the Saintes Wherefore these places declare that exorcismes as it hath beene saide is an adiuration by diuine things But exorcisme is exercised by a certaine commaundement and royall power because the exorcistes cōmaunde the vncleane spirits and verie boldlie commaund them to depart and by this meanes exorcismes differ from prayers and supplications Now it throughlie appeareth what is exorcisme and what is to exorcise Look part 1 pl 8. Art 13. pl 9. art 30 Vnto what times may be referred the original of Exorcisme 8 Nowe are there thrée things to bee considered in order first when exorcismes began secondlie whether exorcistes should be retained and so retained as they maie belong to the holie ministerie Lastlie whether exorcismes are to be ioyned with baptisme As touching the first I saie that in all the old Testament I haue not read that any exorcismes were ordained for the driuing out of diuels I know indéede that there be adiurations extant Wherfore there is a law of zelosie in the booke of Numbers Num. 5. 12. which commaunded vnto the Israelits a forme of a certaine adiuration but by it the Priestes did not adiure the woman to cast Diuels out of her but he wished either good or euill vnto her according as she had behaued her selfe If she had béene chast and blamelesse he wished her well but if shee were vncleane and defiled with whoredome he cursed her with expresse words Also Iosua adiured Acham Iosua 7. 19. not to driue the Diuell out of him but to driue him to confesse a trueth of conueying awaie the accursed thing Some thinke that Dauid did exorcise Saul 1. Sam. 16. 23. which I allowe not for he with his Harpe played before him and with most pleasant verses praysed God But that hee vsed not exorcisme it maie for two causes bee affirmed First because he did not perfectlie heale him but as it is written in the historie While he plaied his trouble was asswaged yet was not the euill spirite vtterlie cast out from Saul Further Dauid vsed not the forme of adiuration which the Scripture teacheth but verses of Musicke and these as it is like lie of the nature of prayers But that there were Exorcistes among the Hebrewes I denie not as I wil streightwaie declare by plaine Testimonies although I graunt that I am ignorant 〈◊〉 what age they first began Iosephus in the 8. booke of Antiquities the second Chapter writeth that Salomon made certaine charmes and exorcismes But of that matter I spake sufficientlie when I interpreted that place where it is shewed that Salomon passed in wisedome all the men of the East and the Egyptians But to come somewhat néerer vnto the matter I thinke that the wisedome of Salomon was inspired into him by GOD. And those things which God bestoweth vppon men are not to bee counted euill but good but that incantations are condemned by the lawes of GOD it is most certaine For which cause they are not giuen to men by the spirite of God Whereby it is prooued that the exorcismes inchauntments and the booke of the little Kay the which are caried abroad vnder the name of Salomon A counterfeit booke of Salomon are counterfait and not to be fathered vpon him They abound euerie where with superstitions and be fraughted with gestures both ridiculous and Idolatrous 9 But that the Hebrewes as I haue said had Exorcistes it is prooued by the testimonie of Christ in the 12. of Matthew For there the Lord
is said This is my bodie The Bishop of Rochester saieth in these propositions that when any thing is changed into an other thing it is not absurde that that which was before shoulde bee shewed And so he admitteth that in This is my bodie should be shewed the bread which was before and is chaunged into the bodie of Christ whyle those wordes be spoken But then saie I the proposition is not well framed For it should haue bin said This is made my bodie or This is turned into my bodie otherwise being said This is my bodie the spéech is vnproper 14 They which say that the body of Christ is really ioyned with the signes the natures I meane of bread and wine being preserued doe thus argue against Transubstantiation What dignitie or priuiledge haue Accidentes that they can be ioyned with the body of Christ which ought to be denyed to the substance and nature of bread And if the Accidentes can remaine why shall not also the substance of bread be retained Yea rather many of the fathers suppose that this may be doone And thence they take a similitude that the humane and diuine natures in Christ doe verily remaine and so remaine as one passeth not into another whose opinions we will bring in when time shall serue They fall also into an other absurditie for while they breake the Sacrament What is broken in the sacrament we demaund of them what they break there Here they stagger and some haue said as testifyeth the maister of the sentences in the 4. booke that the essence or substance of the body of Christ is broken but this opinion is by him confuted because the body of Christ is immortall and therefore it is not subiect to these things and to new chaunces There were others which said that the same is no true breaking but that it onely appeareth to be and so séemeth vnto our senses And this is also reiected least we should establish here a perpetuall illusion At length they say that they be accidents which be broken And when as they after a sort appoint a Mathematicall quantitie that is a quantitie separated from matter which if it be diuided it is onely doone by the power of the minde and by the promptnesse of the vnderstanding These men also diuide in very déede so as the partes diuided may most manifestly be séene In Ieremy we reade Iere. 11. â—9 Let vs cast wood vppon his bread which place is cited by Tertullian and Lactantius and they interpret that this was spoken of putting the wood of the crosse into the body of Christ and they will that mention was made of bread because through bread Christ was to giue himselfe vnto vs. And that which the Prophet speaketh The Transubstantiators take away the figure of the old Testament they will haue to be a figure of the bread of the Sacrament which séeing these men take away and onely leaue a figure vnto vs they affirme a figure of a figure so as no sound thing remaineth The very which may be gathered by that which is oftentimes alledged by the fathers as concerning Melchizedeck Gen. 14. 18 who brought the bread and the wine the figure whereof is not by these men obserued when they remooue away the bread and the wine And the selfe same thing followeth as touching the Shewbread 15 Againe we will bring a reason taken froÌ„ baptisme A little before we argued from thence that for the trueth of that Sacrament it was not requisite that water should be transubstantiated now we reason from the men themselues which be baptised The change of vs in Baptisme of whom the Scripture plainely saith that they lay away the olde man and are againe begotten and yet is there no Transubstantiation imagined in them neuerthelesse generation is described to be a motion whereby a new substance is gotten Iohn 3. 5. Wherefore it is no maruell that Nichodemus tooke offence at the wordes of the Lord wherein it was shewed him that he should be borne againe For while he thought with himselfe that a new generation was preached vnto man already brought foorth and well in yeares he stood in a doubt But and if we interpret that generation to be new and the natiuitie to be spiritual why doe we not vouchsafe to doe the same in the Eucharist And why doe we not transferre all thinges vnto spirituall eating I gladly ioyne together these two Sacramentes Baptisme and the Eucharist because Paul in the 1. Verse 13. Epistle to the Corinthians the 12. Chap. knitteth them together How Paul knitteth together the two Sacraments when he saith All wee by one spirit are baptised into one body and haue bin all made to drinke with one spirit Neither is it of any force if thou shalt say that we be baptised into one body to wit the mysticall body because from the mysticall body Christ is not absent séeing he is the head thereof And else where Paul most plainely saith Gal. 3. 27. that We in baptisme put on Christ We see moreouer that the holy writers bring out of the 6. Chapter of Iohn many thinges as touching the Sacrament of the Eucharist Yea rather there is none of the fathers which in the interpreting of that chapter writeth not pleÌ„tifully of the Eucharist Whereupon we conclude a reason after this manner Whether the words in the 5. of Iohn belong to the Eucharist The thinges which be there spoken either serue vnto this sacrament or they serue not if they belong not vnto this what néede is there to rite them or by those places to dispute of the Eucharist But if they haue respect vnto this séeing there is onely a spirituall eating that is by faith whereby is receaued the true body and bloud of Christ what néede is there to bring in an other new receauing and to imagin a carnal eating whereby the same thing should be receaued againe For if we graunt that there commeth some godly and faithfull man then these men shall be constrained to admit that twise he dooth receaue the body of Christ First by a spirituall eating through faith afterward by their carnall eating which they haue neuer prooued And thus thou séest that these men doe stop vp their owne way so as they cannot truely cite those testimonies which are vppon the 6. Chapter of Iohn And while they affirme TransubstaÌ„tiation they are found to be in the same error that the Capernaites were The error of the Capernaâ—…s Euen they also reuolued in their mind I know not what corporal eating of the flesh of Christ from which cogitation Christ straight way reuoked them when he said Ioh. 6. ver 36. that his wordes were spirit and life and that the flesh profiteth nothing And he obiected vnto them the memory of his ascension into heauen saying Verse 62. What if ye see the sonne of man ascend into heauen where he was at the first But these men say
man The Pope ought to be iudged of the Church And yet Iohn the 23 was in the Councell of Constance deposed and not onely by God but also by men Thus doe these men make and repeate Canons and the same they allow and disalow as often as they thinke good Yea and Emperours haue sometimes thrust out and put downe Popes as it is before said Gal. 1. 8. Paul to the Galathians saith If an Angel from heauen preach any other Gospell let him be accursed If the Pope which may be and in times past hath bin obtrude wicked opinions who shall pronounce him accursed Shall he in no wise be iudged of anie man The Church no doubt shall giue sentence vppon him The Magistrate is the principall part of the Church the Magistrate for that he is the principal part of the Church shall not onelie iudge together therewith but shall also execute the sentence He may execute the sentence of the Church against the Pope He must ouersée the Bishops in their reuenewes Further it belongeth to the Magistrate to prouide that the goods of the Church be not giuen to the enemies of godlynesse So as if Byshops become enemies of the Church a faithfull Magistrate ought not to suffer the goods of the Church to be wasted by them The Canonistes haue this oftentimes in their mouth that for the office sake is giuen the benefit Therefore when they doe not their office ought the Magistrate to suffer them to inioy their benefices But let vs heare how Boniface prooueth that he can be iudged of no man Because ◠Cor. 2. 15 He that is spirituall saith he iudgeth all thinges but he himselfe is iudged of no man A goodlie and well applyed Argument I promise you But let vs sée what kinde of iudgement Paul writeth of in that place Verilie he speaketh not of the common kinde of iudgement whereby men are either put to death or put out of their roome he intreateth there onelie of the vnderstanding of things diuine and which auaile vnto saluation These thinges I say belong properlie vnto the iudgement of the spirituall man But as touching iudgement seate and knowledge of ciuill lawes Paul neuer thought of them in that place which is easilie perceaued by his words Ib. ver 12. We receaue saith he not the spirit of this world but the spirit which is of God If thou wilt demaund for what vse the spirit is giuen vs He aunswereth To the end we should know those thinges that are giuen vs of God And because the spirit of this world cannot giue iudgement of thinges that be diuine Verse 14. it is added The naturall man perceiueth not those things which be of the spirit of God The spirituall man iudgeth all thinges What Dooth he iudge also ciuill and publike causes Peter and Paul were iudged by the Ciuill power Acts. 25. 10 No not so but he iudgeth those thinges which belong to the saluation of men he himselfe is iudged of no man Assuredlie both Peter and Paul were iudged by the ciuill power vnto which Paul appealed that he might be iudged there and yet were they spiritual But that place must thus be vnderstood He that is spirituall in that he is such as one cannot in things diuine and such as pertaine to saluation be rightlie iudged of any man which is not indued with the same spirit that he is of The wicked sort and worldlinges account him oftentimes for a seditious vnpure and infamous fellowe But onelie God and his spirit looketh vppon the heartes Lastlie Boniface concludeth that there is one chiefe power onelie and that belongeth to the Pope least we should with the Manichees séeme to make many beginninges Gen. 1. 1. And he addeth that God in the beginning and not in the beginninges created the world Note We affirme one beginning not many We also detest the Manichees and affirme that there is one onelie beginning and pronounce one onelie fountaine and ofspring of all powers namelie God and his word without which there can be no power either ciuill or Ecclesiasticall For the foundation of either of them dependeth of the word of God and so we make but one beginning and not two Further if Boniface will vrge these wordes in Genesis In the beginning God created c. there ought to be but one onelie king in the world For when Paul said One Lord one Faith Ephe. 4. 5. one Baptisme he added not One Pope 22 At the length our Thraso commeth so farre as he excludeth them from the hope of saluation which acknowledge not the Pope for the chiefe head and Prince of the Church A schisme of Popes But when there were two or thrée Popes al at one time which thing both happened and also indured for the full space of 60. yeares Two or three Popes 60. yéeres together it must néedes be that those which at that time were of Boniface his opinion should confesse themselues then to be Manichees and to haue established two beginnings Againe what thinke they of the Gretians of the Persians and Christians which dwell in the East part séeing they acknowledge not the Pope who neuerthelesse reade the scriptures beléeue in our Lord Iesus Christ and both are and also are called Christians All those Boniface excludeth from the hope of saluation This is the ambition and vnspeakeable tyrannie of the Popes When we obiect vnto the Papists these words of Paul Let euerie soule submit it selfe to the higher powers they aunswere Rom. 13. 1. That euerie soule ought to be subiect vnto the higher power but yet to their own not to other mens power otherwise it were néede that Frenchemen should be subiect to the Spaniards and the Spaniards to the Germanes which because it is absurd it is concluded that euerie man ought to obey his owne Magistrate But nowe the Clergie acknowledge the Bishops for their head and that they should bée subiect vnto them And the Bishops acknowledge the Archbyshops and Primates and they lastlie the Pope After this maner say they we obeie the Pope and satisfie Paul What haue we to doe with Kings and the ciuill Magistrate Howbeit this is nothing else than shamefullie to abuse the wordes of the Apostle The Papists made a diuision of a kingdome into two parts Doe they not sée that they diuide the publike weale into two bodies which ought to be but one bodie onelie For when they diuide the kingdome of the Cleargie from the kingdome of the Laitie they make in one kingdome two peoples and set ouer eyther people his Magistrate and thereby it commeth to passe that the Clergie which be Frenchemen séeme not to be Frenchemen and the Germans séeme not to be Germans and this maketh not coniunction but diuision Besides this of what power I beséeche you speaketh Paul Verilie not of Bishops or Archbishops but of that power which beareth the sword He doth not without a
belongeth vnto the generall word of qualitie for it is an affect and propertie of the will but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is an action And how qualitie and action doo differ in themselues all men knowe That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is an action the same authour sheweth in defining of it He saith that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Two things being propounded to choose prefer the one before the other Further the same author where he speaketh of the will of the Lord saith that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is will agréeth vnto that which vndoubtedlie is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is selfe power not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is frée election For that requireth consultation which noteth a former ignorance and that cannot be ascribed vnto God Furthermore as we haue it in Aristotle the third booke of his Ethiks the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is occupied about the end but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 about those things which belong vnto the end Besides this to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doo belong those things which can be doone of vs but the will is touching those things which cannot be doone of vs as when we wold one wrestler to ouercome another a ship to hold his right course These things are in our power to will but not to choose for the will of his owne accord and power would sometimes things vnpossible as not to die But election is occupied onelie about things that be possible wherefore they differ so as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 extendeth more largelie séeing it not onelie agréeth to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but also to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet is it not the generall word of them But if thou wilt saie that of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is inferred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will grant it although the words doo not signifie one thing And I confesse that the thing it selfe is found in the holie scriptures although the word be not there extant euen as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concerning the word it selfe is not in holie scriptures albeit that the thing it selfe is there concluded and prooued Séeing these words be not in verie déed all one I might rightlie saie that the one is not in the holie scriptures though the other be there found Neither haue I alone affirmed this Oecolampadius but Oecolampadius a man well learned and verie fréendlie to our church of Tigurie wrote this vpon the prophet Esaie Esai 1 19. when he intreateth of these words If ye be willing and doo harken vnto me c. For he saith This place the Pelagians and manie also of the fathers abuse for the affirming of frée will saieng If ye be willing and if ye be not willing Therefore our choise is frée And vnto this purpose they drawe a testimonie out of Ieremie the 21. Ierem. 21 8. chapter Behold I laie before you the waie of life and death So is it also in the 15. chapter of Ecclesiasticus Eccl. 15 18. Deu. 30 15 and in the 30. of Deuteronomie Vnto which we answer Trulie if the contention be about the name to saie that Voluntas that is will and Liberum arbitrium frée choise or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 selfe power which name I haue not yet found in the scriptures is all one forsomuch as the churches maner is not to contend we permit them so to vse those names sith charitie is more pretious vnto vs than little words For who knoweth not that the willing sort both sin and doo well But if vnder the pretence hereof the glorie and mercie of God be derogated it is better to speake contrarie vnto men than to be made partakers of blasphemie c. And a little after Howbeit they are not as I haue said to be lamented for this cause as though they were kept in barbarous seruitude for GOD maketh good men to be partakers of his fréedome and They be trulie free when the spirit of GOD worketh in them who is more rightlie said to further than to take awaie the will whose woorthinesse the apostle commending saith Rom. 8 14. Whosoeuer are led by the spirit of God they are the sonnes of God For so much the better are our works as they more purelie procéed of God And in good things not the least thought or indeuour commeth else-where but from God And strait after Vnto God is the glorie vnto vs is onlie confusion due But shalt thou not most trulie saie that those be seruants who being destitute of the spirit of GOD which put to his hand that they should not fall are carried headlong by their owne fault whither soeuer their sensualitie leadeth them O miserable fréedome that we haue libertie to sin For God dooth leaue vs a power to sinne and such as by nature we can turne our selues from him And by and by after Why doo we boast of the fréedome of will whom the scripture reprooueth to be seruants of sinne In the 8. of Iohn verse 34. Whosoeuer committeth sinne is the seruant of sinne And there a little after Wherefore euen he that saith If ye be willing he it is that stirreth the will in vs and worketh and whatsoeuer it is It is not of him that willeth Rom. 9 16. nor of him that runneth but of God that hath mercie And a litle after For such are we in our owne nature after that Adam sinned as being left vnto our selues we wax slothfull and become deafe at the voice of the Lord we fall into sinne and whereas not to will is by it selfe a damnable thing we being destitute of the spirit of God are compelled and there also make GOD to be angrie whose word we contemne The demonstration of this sentence dooth also Ieremie teach in the 15. chapter Be ye conuerted I will turne c. Iere. 15 19. And a little after this did Augustine iudge saieng Giue what thou commandest and command what thou wilt c. By these words we gather that we are not to contend for the word and that Liberum arbitrium or frée choise may be granted so it be the same thing that will is so that there be not attributed vnto it a fréedome vnto spirituall things We also account will not to be frée except it be by grace otherwise that it is a bond will It is also assured which I haue set downe that these words Liberum arbitrium and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be not found in the holie bookes 8 That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is had and taught among the philosophers I denied not but I said that they doo place in our mind the vnderstanding and will and perhaps the memorie Not that they there place Liberum arbitrium as a fourth or fift power of the mind but doo attribute 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnto the will But whether these two words Liberum and Arbitrium be Latin words I neuer called it
all created at the beginning but are dailie created of God to be put into the bodies proposition 3 Those things which are spoken of paradise must not be vnderstood so allegoricallie as the truth of the historie should not be reteined but the allegories may profitablie he ioined vnto the thing that was doone proposition 4 Whether that garden of pleasure be yet extant cannot be defined by the holie scriptures proposition 5 The dignitie of the lawe of GOD is not to be estéemed by deserts of actions commanded or forbidden therein but for that in it is conteined the iudgement of GOD for dooing of things which alwaies must be preferred before the counsell of man proposition 6 Both kinds of death as well of the bodie as of the soule was set before Adam if he transgressed the commandement of God proposition 7 The first man was created mortall albeit it was in him not to die proposition 8 It is not good for a man to be alone bicause it is not pleasant nor honest nor profitable proposition 9 Thrée exercises were set before man at his creation namelie to obeie God to behold the natures of things created and to exercise husbandrie proposition 10 The sléepe of Adam in the bringing foorth of the woman signifieth vnto vs that Christ by his death purchased his church Probable proposition 1 THe breathing of God whereby the first man was made a liuing soule is a token shewing vs that the reasonable soule is giuen vnto men not by the strength of nature but â—uâ—wardlie by the helpe of God proposition 2 The garden of pleasures was planted in the region of Eden as the name declareth not far from Assyria Mesopotamia and Arabia proposition 3 The trée of life hauing fruit which prolonged life to them that should eate of it allegoricallie signifieth Christ proposition 4 The trée of good and euill is not onelie so called of that which followed but bicause of the same there was a lawe giuen whose propertie is to shew the difference of good and euill proposition 5 By forbidding the fruits of the trée of good and euill we are taught not to be so hardie as to rule our selues by the wisedome of the flesh or else to determine by mans iudgement what is good and what is euill which neuerthelesse is requisite that we decrée by the spirit of God and by the word proposition 6 Séeing the lawe was giuen to Adam the woman being not yet created it sheweth that women should be instructed by men as touching the lawe and word of the Lord. proposition 7 The woman was made of the rib of man to declare that the church was foundes in the strength of Christ Propositions out of the second and third chapters of Genesis Necessarie proposition 1 CHildren must not for their wiues sake so leaue their parents as not to succour or reuerence them albeit they are bound to liue néerer to their wiues than to their parents proposition 2 Whereas the husband and wife are said to be one flesh matrimonie is declared to be inseparable so long as they can be one flesh which is taken awaie by adulterie and for want of power to performe the dutie of marriage one towards another proposition 3 Matrimonie is therefore said to be a mysterie bicause it representeth vnto vs the most streict coniunction of Christ with his church proposition 4 The church immediatelie from hir beginning had Adam for hir gouernour not without the word of God for he being indued with the spirit of GOD spake with the selfe-same words both as touching Christ and as touching matrimonie proposition 5 Temptations are therfore permitted by God bicause they be profitable for the church proposition 6 The diuell promised vnto the woman those things which she had alreadie to wit the opening of the eies and likenesse to God Probable proposition 1 WHereas God brought Eue framed vnto Adam we are thereby taught that those marriages are not well knit where God ioineth not the parties togither proposition 2 Since that mans soule is a spirituall substance and is immortall we must not grant that it is deriued vnto the children by the séed of the parents proposition 3 The serpent was the fittest instrument in temptation to expresse the ill practises of the diuell and his craftinesse against men proposition 4 The wicked will of the tempter declareth the most skilfull wisedome of GOD whereby he knew how to vse wel euen most wicked things proposition 5 This did the diuell by his first temptation chéeflie indeuour that Gods word should not be beléeued as it was requisite proposition 6 The originall of Eues fall was that setting aside the earnest cogitation of the word of God she began to weigh in hir mind the commoditie of the forbidden fruit which the diuell set before hir togither with the beautie and swéetnesse thereof proposition 7 The shame and the deuise of the couerings are not to be ascribed to the diuell but to the goodnesse of God as a bridle whereby the euill now brought in might the lesse spread it selfe abroad Propositions out of the third chapter of Genesis Necessarie proposition 1 SHame and the shunning of Gods sight are properties which followe sinne proposition 2 The enimitie which GOD put betwéene the diuell and the woman belongeth vnto all godlie men proposition 3 Albeit the power of treading downe the diuell be proper vnto Christ yet dooth he communicate the same with the faithfull proposition 4 The cursses which GOD laid vpon the first men were not onlie punishments but also they shewed men their duties and brought remedies against temptations and sinnes proposition 5 If the creatures through mans transgression fell into a woorse condition than they were it is méet that vpon the restitution of him those also should be restored proposition 6 Since God remooueth idlenesse from man they which altogither shun labour agrée not with his will proposition 7 Christ tooke not awaie by his first comming the punishments of these cursses but mitigated them howbeit at his second comming he will altogither take them awaie proposition 8 Séeing garments are inuented for the profit and honestie of this present life those garments are iustlie found fault withall which haue anie thing against these two properties proposition 9 Sacrifices be signes whereby we confesse the excellencie of God proposition 10 Anie man is accepted of GOD before his works be acceptable vnto him proposition 11 Those things which God either by exhorting or commanding sheweth should be doone those are not in our power to be doone of vs vnlesse we be holpen by his grace Probable proposition 1 THe scripture therefore saith that the eies of the first men were opened after sinne bicause there brake out a new féele of new punishments proposition 2 By the example of God who so preciselie inquired after sinne iudges are admonished that they condemne not men before they be heard and their cause examined proposition 3 In the curssing of the serpent those punishments of
out of all doubt is taken awaie in regeneration For by that means it coms to passe that although it be verie sin indéed yet God dooth not impute it for sin Moreouer Augustine dooth compare concupiscence with those sinnes which are called actuall by the comparison whereof it may be said to be no sinne for it is far from the gréeuousnes of them But I maruell how Pighius dare saie that Augustine determineth without testimonie of the scriptures that concupiscence is originall sin séeing he in his disputations against the Pelagians defendeth his opinion chéefelie out of the holie scriptures The cause whie originall sinne is called concupiscence And the cause whie he calleth originall sinne concupiscence is for that originall corruption dooth chéeflie declare it selfe through the vnpurer desires of the mind and of the flesh 13 Now it is expedient to sée what others haue said concerning this matter for besides this there is also another opinion of them which say that originall sin is a lacke of originall righteousnes Whether this sinne be a want of originall righteousnesse Anshelmus What the schoolemen meane by originall iustice Which thing Anshelmus affirmed in his booke De partu virginis and he drew manie other scholasticall authors into his opinion And these men meane no other thing by originall iustice or righteousnesse but the right institution of man when as the bodie obeieth the mind and the inferior parts of the mind are subiect to the superior when the mind is subiect vnto God and to his lawe In this righteousnes was Adam created and if he had so continued all we should haue liued in it but séeing he fell all we were depriued thereof And they would haue the lacke of this righteousnes to be originall sinne A similitude Entrie defect maketh not a thing euill But that they may shew their opinion the better they saie that euerie defect is not euill for although a stone doo lacke righteousnes yet it shall not be said that a stone is vnrighteous or euill but when as a thing shall be fit and méet to possesse that whereof it is destitute then such a defect is said to be euill as it happeneth in the eie when it is béereft of abilitie to sée well we doo not saie therefore that there is a fault or blame in the eie For then sinne commeth when by reason of such a lacke there followeth a contending and wrestling against the lawe of God An obiection of Pighius And this opinion is also condemned by Pighius for he saith that It is no sinne if one kéepe not the gift which he hath receiued For it may be that one which is borne in perfect health and in a good state of the bodie A similitude may fall into a disease or be maimed in some member or else become lame yet there is none that will call those defects offenses or sinnes But this similitude is not agréeable to the purpose for a disease or maime of the bodie doth not make either to the performing or violating of Gods lawe but that which they call a want of originall righteousnes dooth of necessitie bring with it the breach of Gods lawe Moreouer he laboureth to prooue that the losse of originall righteousnes in yoong children is not sinne bicause the same was not foregon by their fault but this againe is to call God to an account God is not to be called vnto an account But God is not registred among the decrées of men he is not to be brought into the order of mans lawes Let Pighius confer that opinion with this which he reasoneth against This affirmes he that God dooth condemne the faultines and vncleanes which he appointed and shewed to be in new borne babes Pighius maketh guiltie and condemnes children of that vice and sinne which is not in them but onelie is that which Adam the first parent of all committed in himselfe for otherwise he taketh those children to be most innocent But whether of these is the further from reason and dooth dissent from the lawes of men To punish an innocent for the sinne of another Or else to condemne him which hath cause in himselfe whie he should be condemned Vndoubtedlie vnto them which shall diligentlie consider of the thing it selfe The saieng of Anshelme is better than the opinion of Pighius Eccle. 7 30. the saieng of Anshelme is better in manie respects than this opinion of Pighius We knowe it to be true which Ecclesiastes saith that God made man vpright but when he had once sinned he fell by and by into wickednesse He dooth not now behold God and heauenlie things anie more but he bendeth himselfe continuallie down to earthlie and to carnall things and is subiect to the necessitie of concupiscence and this is to want originall righteousnes For actions be not plucked awaie from man but the power of well vsing them is taken awaie as we sée happen by experience A similitude in such as be taken with the palsie verelie they mooue their hand but bicause the power is hurt whereby they might rule that motion they mooue the same faintlie and deformedlie This also happeneth in vs for séeing diuine righteousnes is wanting the ground is corrupted whereby our works should be rightlie ordered and performed But saith Pighius it cannot be sinne in yoong children to be destitute of this gift for they are not bound by anie dutie or obligation to haue it But if saith he our aduersaries shall saie otherwise let them shew a lawe whereby we that are borne bée bound which saith he bicause they cannot doo let them cease to saie that this want of originall righteousnes is sin But we not onlie will shew one By what lawe they which are borne are bound to haue originall sin but thrée lawes The first is the institution of man God made man according to his owne image and likenes wherefore such it behooueth vs to be for God dooth iustlie require that which he made in our nature And the image of God dooth herein chéeflie consist that we be adorned with diuine properties namelie iustice wisedome goodnes and patience But contrariwise Pighius crieth out Wherein standeth the nature of the image of God that this is not the nature of the image of God for that he saith consisteth in vnderstanding memorie and will as Augustine is his bookes De trinitate and in manie other places hath taught These things indéed are said of the Schoole-men But we will prooue the matter to be farre otherwise both by the scriptures and saiengs of the fathers Looke part 1. place 12 verse 26. Ephes 4 24. 14 First it is thus written in the epistle to the Ephesians Put ye off the old man according to the conuersation in times past which is corrupt according to the deceiueable lusts and be ye renewed in the spirit of your mind and put yee on the new man which according to God is created
verse 19. Which may be vnderstood after this sort namelie that he might reprooue them for their obstinacie and vnbeléefe wherein they were hardened against the word of God and against the godlie admonitions which euer among were propounded vnto them while they yet liued or else that he euen then shewed vnto them that same holsome and most true word Which word séeing they being alwaies like to themselues did obstinatelie reiect and being dead reteined still that incredulitie which they did being aliue they themselues gaue a most manifest testimonie against themselues of their most iust condemnation especiallie séeing they might not anie longer pretend anie maner of ignorance Thus the wisedome of God through his iudgements carieth perfect praise and renowme And here we are to craue of GOD that he will vouchsafe to giue vnto vs such a mind as we estéeme not more of our peruerse lusts than of a stinking carcase which is alreadie laid close in a sepulchre and that he will so open our heart to imbrace his holie promises least while our eares are striken onelie with the outward sound of them we wickedlie resist the truth certeintie of them It is our part also that séeing Christ by so manie labours and sufferings approoued him selfe for certeintie to be verie man we being comforted by his helpe should plainlie meditate diuine and heauenlie life And hauing so great a benefite giuen of God by the death and buriall of Christ we should doo him no small wrong if we would in verie déed thinke that our owne works auaile anie thing for reconcilement of vs vnto him when as we professe rather by this article of faith that he was pacified with mankind by the onelie death of Christ and by his bitter passion He rose againe the third daie he ascended into heauen he sitteth at the right hand of God the father almightie 21 If Christ that onelie sonne of God Looke the dialog De vtraque in Christo natura The resurrection of Christ the triumph of our faith A similitude which came downe vnto vs and for our saluation was slaine by a most bitter death of the crosse had shroonke or not béene able to haue susteined death and being closed in the sepulchre had tasted the force of corruption as other men doo how might we haue confidence to be saued by him that had not béene able to saue himselfe In like maner as if a man that would proffer his helpe to one perishing in the water leapeth with a good courage into the water neuerthelesse he himselfe whiles he indeuoureth to saue another perisheth being swallowed vp in the déepe of the water can he that perisheth himselfe bring anie helpe to him that is perishing Vndoubtedlie no other commoditie can come thereof but that the losse groweth to be double if vnto the death of the first there is also added the death of a second who by his death should bring so much the more losse in how much his life was more pure and holie So then it altogither behoued first that for our saluation Christ should deliuer himselfe from death then to persuade vs most fullie that by faith in him saluation is obteined for vs. Wherefore they which beheld him hanging vpon the crosse did reprochfullie cast him in the téeth with these things Matt. 27 42 Let him saue himselfe and we will beleeue him he saued others himselfe he cannot saue And he rose againe from death wherein he expressed foorth a greater power than if he had then descended from the crosse He stroue in such sort with death as he mightilie conquering and destroieng the same might not be reteined thereby For this cause doo we here confesse that he was raised vp the third daie according to the scriptures and that by his fathers decrée he ascended into heauen and that he sitteth at the right hand of the father By which article of our faith we now sucke out most swéet comfort to wit Two worthie things to be noted in the resurrection of Christ The glorie of Christ that Christ is exalted for our saluation And here fall out two things most worthie to be noted the first is what maner of exaltation and new glorie of Christ the same was the second what profit may redound to the faithfull therby 22 Whosoeuer is desirous to perceiue aright vnto what a heigth Christ is raised vp first it behooueth him to weigh vnto how base an estate he first of his owne accord humbled himselfe for our sakes This dooth Paule in his epistle to the Philippians contriue in few words Phil. 2 7. He saith he made himselfe of no reputation and tooke on him the forme of a seruant and was made like vnto men and was found in shape as a man hee humbled himselfe and became obedient vnto death euen to the death of the crosse In like maner also as we haue more at large shewed before Christes spirit separated from his bodie his bodie was closed vp in the sepulchre but his soule had proofe of that state which the spirits of men enter into when they be separated from their bodies by death The viler therefore and more abiect that these things were vnto the shew so much the more honourable it was to dispatch himselfe from hence and to mount vp vnto things méere contrarie And séeing that mankind is subiect euery where to sundrie miseries those doubtlesse are no small miseries which euen they commonlie suffer who abounding in riches séeme to haue obteined the more happie state of life Yet the miseries of the poore be more gréeuous but when they serue in bondage they be much more extreame A similitude Howbeit if so be that a man which is of a couragious noble mind be deliuered into the bondage of such his enimies as not onelie are of base calling among men but also of naughtie and wicked behauiour his lamentable and miserable state séemeth then to be most intollerable Yet verelie all these things happened vnto Christ who as he vndoubtedlie put on the true nature of man so was he a seruant not onelie vnto his disciples vnto whome he said that He came into the world Mat. 20 28. not to be ministred vnto but to minister vnto others which the thing it selfe declared when as he humbled himselfe euen vnto the ground to wash their féet Ioh. 13 5. but that which is a great deale harder he declared himselfe as a seruant euen to his owne enimies namelie vnto the wicked and vnto them which were wholie couered in the sinke of wickednes towards whom he so executed the parts of a seruant as for the safetie of them he spent his owne life And this is it that Paule writeth in his epistle to the Romans Rom. 5 6. 8. 10. When as saith he wee were yet but weake sinners enimies and wicked men Christ died for vs. He therefore being so humbled and abased as he is called by the prophet A worme and no
one of them but did choose to haue his bodie buried after the rite and custome But whereas the psalme complaineth of the vnburieng of the saints Psal 79 2. there it plentifullie reckoneth vp the beastlie crueltie of the enimies of Gods people bicause they being not content with the death of them would exercise their crueltie euen against their dead carcases not bicause he affirmeth that the saints for that cause should be in worse state For as Lucan the Poet saith He that hath no coffin to couer him is couered with the heauen 12 Euen as The death of the saints is pretious in the sight of God so contrariwise In 2. Sam. 19. Psal 115 15 the death of the wicked is despised and not onelie their death but also their buriall Although the losse of buriall séeme to be a light matter The lacke of buriall is a punishment Iere. 22 19. yet it belongeth to punishment it is a certeine ignominie The prophet saith of the king He shall be buried with an asses buriall The godlie complaine that the dead bodies of the saints were giuen to the fowles of the aire and that they remained vnburied in the stréets It is a kind of ignominie which God would laie vpon Absalom They cast him into a déep ditch and a great heape of stones vpon him that after a sort they might séeme to stone him and that according to the lawe which commanded to stone them that were incestuous and rebellious against their parents Those stones made a shew of an ignominious sepulchre Absalom while he liued promised to himselfe magnificall things he thought for a perpetuall memorie after his death to be put into his owne sepulchre but he was counted vnwoorthie to haue the vse therof So did it happen in England The cardinall of Yorke the cardinall of Yorke builded a costlie tombe and while he oftentimes came vnto the sepulchre to sée how the worke went forward a certeine foolish fellowe standing by bad that if he meant to vse that tombe he should go into it while he was aliue for that he should not be put into that tombe when he was dead And so it came to passe for the king by reason of certeine things ill gouerned by him waxed angrie against him and punished him So Absalom builded himselfe a sepulchre but the iudgement of God suffered not him to haue the vse thereof What maner of monument Absaloms was What maner of monument it was that is not knowen Some thinke that it was an image of this mind was Iosephus some a pyramis such as the kings of Aegypt made in Memphis it might be an obeliske such as are séene at Rome There is a huge one in a place called the Vatican wherein is the ashes of Augustus The forefathers sometime made these kind of monuments Iacob in the booke of Genesis Gen. 28 22. erected for himselfe stones and titles that they might be a monument Gen. 35 20. It is said that he did the same thing at the sepulchre of Rachel Absalom was most ambitious wherefore he prouided a monument that his name might be kept in remembrance he would be famous but he was woorthie to haue his name wiped out by perpetuall obliuion So was it decréed in Asia that he which had burned the temple of Diana in Ephesus should not once be named to the intent he might not become famous Absalom ment to leaue a noble memorie whereas neuerthelesse he had liued shamefullie and most shamefullie died The pride of the vngodlie Gen. 11 4. This is the pride of the vngodlie In the booke of Genesis they saie Come let vs build a tower which may reach vnto heauen But they gat confusion for there God confounded their toongs But on the other side the godlie doo abase themselues they ascribe all the glorie vnto God but to themselues rebuke onelie Not vnto vs Lord saie they but vnto thy name giue the glorie Psal 113 1. Dan. 9 7. to thee belongeth honour but to vs confusion The godlie haue sometime erected monuments and tokens but they ment no other thing but to haue extant a remembrance of Gods benefits they did change the names of places that they might fasten some things in the memorie Looke In 1. King 13 22 But let vs consider that this kind of gréefe or feare GOD would to be ouercome of his martyrs to whom he promised punishments It was giuen to the martyrs to despise the loue of their owne flesh not onelie while they liued but also shamefull reproches to be doone vnto their dead bodies namelie that they should be a food vnto wild beasts and that their ashes should be scattered Indéed GOD could otherwise haue turned these things from his chosen but he ordeined that they should triumph also of these gréefs and terrors In Gen. 13. 13 Neither are these things spoken on that behalfe Why burial must not be contemned that the burials of the dead brethren should be despised by them which are aliue for the bodies of them that departed were while they liued organs and instruments of the holie Ghost Wherefore euen as we should not despise the ring garments booke or such other things of our fréend so ought not we to neglect the bodies of the saints nor of anie others which be our neighbors are by God ioined vnto vs in kindred This dutie did the fathers diligentlie performe towards Marie Christ therein it was appointed that they should enioie the presence of the Lord bicause in verie déed this kind of work is allowed of God and while vnder this signe we take care about the flesh of man being dead and contemne it not as a thing of naught we after a sort testifie the faith of the resurrection whereby God will once restore the same as who should saie we will not despise that whereof we knowe GOD will haue a care in time to come This yet will I adde that the fathers in old time had somewhat a more care hereof than our men haue if we consider of their state wherein they had more regard than we haue vnto temporall things and vnto things which concerned the flesh Furthermore by this dutie we are stirred vp to doo good vnto the poore for if it please God that we should doo vnto the dead that which dooth profit them nothing how much rather will those works be allowed of him whereby we benefit his children and the members of Christ which doo féele and perceiue the same 14 But now let vs sée Touching the place of buriall Augustine whether it make anie matter of burieng more in one place than in another Augustine in the place last recited affirmeth that it dooth They saith he which be buried at the monuments of martyrs more offer themselues to the sight of their fréends who visiting the churches doo commend with their praiers vnto those martyrs for whose memorie the place is dedicated the spirits
all things by the same The Rabbins among the Iewes A fable of the Rabbins concerning the coniunction of the soule with the bodie for the testifieng héereof deuised a fable saieng that A certeine mightie and rich man planted himselfe a garden of most noble kinds of trées which did beare verie excellent fruits and lest it shuld be robbed he appointed kéepers for the same And bicause it behooued to take héed vnto the kéepers themselues he appointed two which were so made as the one did perfectlie sée but yet so lame as he might not in anie wise be able to go the other was in déed able to go but was blind When the Lord of the orchard was gone the ill kéepers began to consult among themselues about eating of the fruits The blind man said I in verie déed lust after them but I sée not the criple said I sée them but I am not able to come at them After long talke they agréed that the blind man should stoope downe and receiue the criple vpon his backe who hauing his sight directed the blind man with his hand wherefore they being both ioined togither came vnto the trées and fulfilled their lusts with those fruits according to their owne desire The lord of the garden returned and espieng the harme that was doone blamed the kéepers The lame man excused himselfe that he could not come to the trée and the blind man said that he might not sée the fruits Then the owner when he knew their sleight and shift Ye haue saith he ioined your labours togither wherefore I also will ioine you againe and will punish you togither Therefore he bound them togither againe and by beating and striking them punished them both togither So saie they dooth the case stand in a man the soule in déed knoweth vnderstandeth perceiueth but it can not take anie outward worke in hand by it selfe Certeinlie the bodie of it selfe is a senselesse thing neither dooth it perceiue The which neuerthelesse being mooued stirred vp by the mind is a fit instrument of th outward actions Which being so both reason iustice requireth that they should be againe ioined togither after death for receiuing of punishments rewards 6 These things are spoken generallie And now comming to the matter we will diuide this treatise into certeine principall points First we will bring the reasons which séeme to hinder and gainsaie the resurrection of the flesh Secondlie we will search out what is the nature thereof Thirdlie whether by humane reasons and that by such reasons as are probable it may be prooued and confirmed Moreouer we will bring testimonies out of the holie scriptures as well of the old as of the new testament whereby it shall be prooued that the same must in anie wise be looked for Afterward we will intreat of the causes thereof Ouer this some things shall be spoken of the conditions and qualities of them that shall rise againe And last of all shall be confuted the arguments of them which séeme to persuade that there shall be no resurrection And those arguments will I first of all recite yet not all but those onelie which I shall iudge to be of most importance by the confutation whereof others may easilie be dissolued Arguments of them which denie the resurretion 7 First Porphyrius said that All bodies must be auoided for atteining to the felicitie of the soule bicause they hinder and further not the contemplation and knowledge of God wherein consisteth our felicitie By which there séemeth to be affirmed that soules can not perfectlie be made blessed if they should be coupled againe to their bodies Further this can not be that when the bodies are alreadie dissolued and are gone into ashes they should returne to their first elements or to the first substance of their nature Besides it happeneth sometimes that a man is eaten of a woolfe a woolfe of a lion a lion of the fowles of the aire which afterward become the meat of other men therefore the flesh of the first man might not be discerned from the flesh of the latter men Moreouer this will the more plainlie appéere if we consider of those Anthropophagi being men that féed vpon mans flesh whereby it commeth to passe that the substances of humane bodies by that kind of meanes are mingled Wherefore if there shall be a resurrection of the dead vnto which men shall those fleshes be attributed To them that eat or to them that be eaten We sée also in nature that it is taken for an impossibilitie that one and the same indiuisible thing should be restored to number when it hath perished And therefore was generation appointed that at the leastwise by procreating like things in kind order might be continued To this in death when the soule is taken awaie from the bodie not onelie the things accident therevnto are destroied but the essentiall beginnings also wherby a man is made namelie the bodie and also certeine parts of the mind as is the power of nourishing and féeling which can not be had without the bodie Besides this if anie quantitie be sundred it is no more one in number but they be two quantities And a motion that surceaseth if it be begun againe it may be in kind the same that it was but in number it shall be distinguished from the first For who is it that when he shall haue walked a mile if he stand at rest for a while and afterward returneth can affirme that his latter walke is the verie same that was before And this is not onelie perceiued in quantitie and motion and in things that happen but also in qualities and formes For if a man inioie health and doo fall into a sicknesse the first health doubtles is gone but if so be he afterward recouer the health that happeneth is not altogither the same that the first was In like maner if bodies with all the things belonging vnto them are to be restored all the humors haires and nailes shall be giuen againe and the heape will be monstrous But if all these things shall not be restored but a certeine of them there can be no reason made whie rather one sort than an other shall be giuen againe 8 There be moreouer in the holie scriptures manie places which are against resurrection if they should be weied as they appéere at the first sight In the 78. psalme it is written verse 39. that God did after a sort chasten the Iewes in the wildernesse but that he would not vtterlie powre out his wrath vpon them bicause he remembred saith Dauid that they were but flesh and as a spirit that passeth awaie and commeth not againe But if so be that the soules returne not againe there is no resurrection Also it is said in the 114. psalme The dead shall not praise thee Psal 114 17 ô Lord. And if the spirits of them that be dead doo not celebrate the praises of God and that they which be
departed shall not declare things there shall be no resurrection And in the same psalme it is written verse 16. All the whole heauens are the Lords and the earth hath he giuen to the children of men If heauen belong not vnto men but that they must dwell vpon the earth and therein must come to their end there is no resurrection to be hoped for And Salomon Eccl. 3 9. in the third chapter of Ecclesiastes writeth that There is all one end both of man and of beasts For as the one dooth die so dooth the other yea they haue both one maner of breath And who knoweth saith he whether the breath of the sonnes of men ascend vpward and the breath of beasts downeward And in the 14. of Iob it is written verse 7. that it is not so with man as it is with trées or plants For these when they be cut off are woont to sprowt and to shoot foorth againe but man when he is dead returneth not Againe it is said that this resurrection shall be vniuersall But Daniel verse 2. in the 12. chapter séemeth to describe the same to be particular Manie saith he which now sleepe in the dust shall rise againe But he would not haue said manie if they should all be raised vp Yea and it is written in the psalme The vngodlie shall not rise in iudgment Psal 1 6. And it is méet that séeing by Christ the dead are to be restored they onlie should obteine this benefit which shall be ioined vnto Christ Wherevpon it followeth that the vngodlie which are strangers vnto Christ shall not be raised vp These are the reasons which are woont to be obiected against those which affirme that there is a resurrection 9 Now let vs come to the second point in searching out what may serue to the nature and definition of resurrection The definition nature of resurrection And we will begin at the etymologie of the word It is called of the Gréeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the composition of which word the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the verie same thing that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is which signifieth Againe as if it were ment That which was fallen to stand vp againe Therefore Damascen writing of this matter saith that Resurrection is the second standing of the dead And the Hebrues called the same Thechijath hammethim for Chaia is To liue Wherefore it is euen as if they had said The quickening of the dead And bicause Com among them is To rise thereof they deriued the noune deriuatiue Thekum hammethim that is The rising of dead men Also among them there is found Cuma And of the verbe Amad which signifieth To stand they haue deriued some noune of this kind Perhaps also they haue other words of this signification but these are more accustomed and more commonlie vsed among the Rabbins Touching the Latin name we will consider afterward 10 As to the matter Resurrection belongeth to the predicament of action In euerie action two things to be considered And whereas in actions two things are chéeflie to be considered namelie the dooer and the subiect it selfe into which the action is powred by him that dooth The efficient cause of this action is God The efficient cause of the resurrection for that no cause in nature nor power in anie creatures can be found which is able to bring to passe the resurrection as afterward in place conuenient we shall declare Action in verie déed is manie waies distinguished Actions diuerslie distinguished One is naturall as generation corruption increasing diminishing alteration and such like And there be also other actions The forms of actions which belong to practising knowledge as to build to paint to plough to cast mettall And other actions which haue respect vnto the will that is to mans choise such be the works of vertues and vices Againe actions are distinguished that some be oeconomicall that is perteining to houshold gouernement others be politicall others be ecclesiasticall But resurrection taketh place in no part of these distinctions for all these things which we haue rehearsed after a sort are reuoked vnto nature Vnto what forme of action resurrection i◠to be referred But the resurrection of the dead is an act altogither beyond nature Wherefore it shall be reckoned among those things which doo excéed and surpasse the force of nature 11 Now resteth for vs to consider of the subiect wherein it is receiued The subiect of resurrection And vndoubtedlie it is no other thing that is raised vp but man which was by death extinguished But man as all men knowe consisteth of two parts to wit of the soule and of the bodie So as it must be considered whether resurrection perteine to the bodie or to the soule To speake properlie Which part of man is the subiect of resurrection bodies doo rise againe and not soules for that is said to rise againe which fell when it had stood vp But soules die not togither with the bodie but remaine aliue and therefore séeing they fell not they shall not rise againe And that soules remaine aliue after they be separated from bodies the holie scriptures doo shew for Christ said vnto the apostles Matt. 10 28. Feare ye not them which kill the bodie but the soule they cannot kill But if soules should be extinguished togither with the bodies they which destroie the bodie would also destroie the soule Ouer this Christ said vnto the théefe Luke 23. 43 This daie shalt thou be with me in paradise which would not haue béen if the soule had perished with the death of the bodie And when the death of the rich man and of Lazarus is described in the gospell it is plainlie enough expressed what becommeth of men after death for Lazarus was caried by the ministerie of angels to the bosome of Abraham but the rich man to the torments in hell There be also other testimonies agréeable vnto this saieng but let these be sufficient at this time That resurrection is to be attributed vnto bodies Tertullian also taught in his 5. booke against Marcion and in his booke De resurrectione carnis and saith that manie things doo rise which before fell not as herbes plants and such like but none is said to rise againe but such as fell first when they had stood before And he argueth from the proprietie of the Latine toong which maketh a difference betwéene Surgere and Resurgere the one signifieng To rise and the other To rise againe And he saith that Cadauer a dead bodie was so called à Cadendo of falling wherefore he affirmed that the resurrection is not of soules but of bodies 12 Moreouer it must be noted Resurrection is as it were a certeine new birth that the resurrection of the dead is a certeine new birth For euen as in the first birth a man is brought foorth consisting both of bodie and soule